Blanket Ban – Chalk Line Theatre / Southwark Playhouse Borough, London

A rallying cry against Malta’s restrictions on women’s freedom, Blanket Ban uses humour, fact and personal stories in an entertaining 85 minutes of theatre and political activism.

Blanket Ban

Abortion bans don’t stop abortions. That’s a fact. They make accessing a safe abortion more difficult, depending of course on your means. But with all the focus on the battle over women’s reproductive rights currently taking place in the US, it’s perhaps too easy to overlook other places where women’s rights are withheld or eroding. In Hungary, for instance, where laws are becoming stricter. In Northern Ireland where many women must still travel to access abortions. Or in Malta, where a total ban is in effect.

Malta is thus the only country in the EU to ban abortions completely. No matter if the mother’s health or life is at risk, the pregnancy is not viable or the case involves rape or incest: doctors cannot intervene. But Malta is also a generous and friendly place, liberal in many areas, with sunny beaches and delicious food. Writers and performers Davinia Hamilton and Marta Vella feel this tension deeply: a love for their home country combined with an immense frustration.

Blanket Ban is their response, dreamt up after the first pro-choice rally in Malta in 2019. A lot has changed since then. Covid determined how they went about creating their show. The international situation is fast-moving, as mentioned above. And in 2022, just as Hamilton and Vella were on their way to the Edinburgh Fringe, a Maltese politician proposed an amendment to allow abortions in (very) limited circumstances. A few months on from this first outing Blanket Ban has now transferred to the Southwark Playhouse, giving me a chance to see what this hit Fringe play is all about.

A Timely Conversation

This renewed discussion in Malta came about partly due to the high profile case of an American tourist who in 2022 suffered an incomplete miscarriage of a much-wanted pregnancy but had to be airlifted from Malta by her insurance company as she was denied treatment there. Only, as Blanket Ban reminds us, this isn’t even the first time that exact scenario has occurred. Blanket ban contains real women’s stories, told anonymously with the exception of that earlier visitor, Maltese-Canadian woman Marion Mifsud Mora.

Their stories are woven together by Hamilton and Vella into a rich tapestry of narrative strands. Over the course of 85 minutes we learn about Malta’s history (including its strong Catholic faith), the ongoing taboo around abortions even within families, and the tales of how the women interviewed made choices about their own bodies despite the ban. There’s a parallel between the determination needed to overcome the siege of Malta in 1942, and the determination needed to end this ban and ensure women can safely access the care they need. Towards the end there’s also a clever scene demonstrating the toxic, emotive and divisive nature of online rhetoric on the subject.

Finally there is a nice strand of meta-story: Hamilton and Vella’s personal story of how they came to make this show. It hasn’t been an easy choice to take such a visible stand on a contentious issue. But a tale of friendship and determination emerges. While the stakes are very different, in this aspect it reminded me strongly of Nothing Happens (Twice) by Little Soldier Productions. London’s mix of pressures and opportunities makes it a challenging place but also one which allows the space for true creativity.

Final Thoughts on Blanket Ban

The format of Blanket Ban is simple. It’s just Hamilton and Vella, with simple props, weaving together a story. Videos (by Tom Fitch) are projected onto the curtain backdrop of Isabella Van Braeckel’s set. Co-directors Sam Edmunds and Vikesh Godhwani ensure an energy that pulls us along in its wake, but alleviates the seriousness of the subject by leaving plenty of space for humour. This is theatre as political activism, but it does not preach. Rather, it arms us with the information we need to form an opinion on the situation in Malta, while drawing parallels to the universal need to protect and enforce women’s rights over their own bodies.

Hamilton and Vella bring a warmth and natural comedy which draws audiences in from the start. I felt their love for the country, their frustration, and their commitment to effecting change. Blanket Ban is an informative, passionate rallying cry which should encourage all of us to think about how we can make an impact. It brings this issue to life in a way that a news report cannot, and has left me with a lot to mull over as well as a newfound desire to try pastizzi. What more can you ask for in an evening at the theatre?

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 4/5

Blanket Ban on until 20 May 2023