The 2B Theatre Company presents Red Like Fruit, a Canadian production featuring actors Michelle Monteith and David Patrick Flemming, written by Hannah Moscovitch—an award-winning playwright and recipient of The Scotsman Fringe First.
This compelling play explores themes of physical and psychological harm, giving voice to silence through Lauren’s thunderous and deeply personal account of events.
The opening scene sees Lauren seated alone while Luke stands, reading from her open journal at her request. She wants her innermost world to be recounted, and Luke becomes the narrator of her story.
Director Christian Barry crafts an experience that offers rare insight into the human psyche when confronted with a dominance-oriented work culture. At the same time, this is a deeply personal account of Lauren’s own struggles with the misuse of power.
As the play unfolds, it becomes clear that Lauren’s experiences are rooted in a hierarchical structure where men hold the narrative power, often to minimise or dismiss certain behaviours. Lauren, a journalist, has been assigned to report on a domestic violence case, which may be the catalyst for her recent mental health decline. She reveals a past childhood assault, showing how power was exerted over her and how she has reshaped the narrative to make it sound acceptable, even to the point of denial.
Her professional assignment mirrors her personal trauma. The inconsistencies in the domestic abuse case reflect Lauren’s own story, she, too, has changed the narrative. Crushingly so.
Tension builds as Lauren quietly quakes. A sordid truth emerges: she never said no, so did she let it happen? The conversation deepens, exposing comparisons and questioning whether teenage mistakes are simply brushed aside as part of a ‘normal’ coming-of-age experience.
The performance is gritty yet composed, difficult yet clear. Lauren is hurting, and Luke’s attentive words and compassion help reveal her raw vulnerability—“which helps,” she tells the audience.
This powerful and provocative play does not shy away from the brutal realities of sexual assault and the minimisation of violence in a post-Me Too world. Boundaries have blurred, and a contrasting darkness surrounds the truth and the stories we tell ourselves. Red Like Fruit and the 2B Theatre Company offer a vital platform for reflection and discussion.
