Review: My Pregnant Brother (SummerWorks)

(photo credit: Pam Price)

Is the personal too personal?
by Beat Rice

My Pregnant Brother is a one-woman show written and performed by Johanna Nutter,  directed and dramaturged by Jeremy Taylor. Nutter tells a very personal story about her family and their unbelievable circumstances that the show’s title hints at. The story is so far fetched you almost can’t believe it, but Nutter plays herself, and is honest, genuine, and just dramatic enough to keep us with her. She tells the story of how her brother was born her sister, of her mother’s confusion, and of her struggle to keep the family all together. Nutter’s brother is transgendered, and has a relationship with a man who gets him pregnant. After giving birth, he moves to Vancouver and gives his child away to a woman who responded to his post on the Internet. 

The structure of the play is simple, while Nutter's family situation is anything but. Her story covers issues of acceptance, sacrifice, and how the love we have for our family can really take a toll on us. The themes are relatable even though the events may not be.

I cannot judge Nutter for her story, as it is something that just happened to her in real life, and she tells it  as it is. As a piece of theatre however, it felt a little long and I did not understand the purpose of every anecdote. I understand the need to give context to the people and events in the story but because it is just a woman on stage talking as herself, the play needs to keep moving. Perhaps dramaturg Taylor could have asked what audiences really need to hear. I admire Johanna Nutter for her strength and courage, for exposing all she went through onstage; but although the events have changed her life significantly, this show is not one that will change yours.

My Pregnant Brother is at SummerWorks