The Howland Company is proud to share the return of Rachel Cairns’ hit solo show:
Hypothetical Baby
Written and performed by Rachel Cairns
Directed by The Howland Company’s Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster
A Nightwood Theatre production in association with The Howland Company
On Stage Now Running: February 22 – March 8, 2025
Location: Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street, Toronto
About the Show:
CRITIC’S PICK “Searingly honest, introspective and funny”
– The Globe and Mail
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Hypothetical Baby is the kind of play that makes a person glad to live in Canada…
Illuminating as well as humorous”
– Stage Door
“The most personal of gifts that an artist can offer to an audience”
– Toronto Star
“A powerful watch that’s well worth seeing… Cairns is a gifted writer with a personal, timely story to tell.”
– Intermission Magazine
“As intimate and emotional as it is politically relevant.” – Our Theatre Voice
“Powerful – Eloquent and riveting – Filled with laughts and tears in equal measure.” – A View from the Box
“Bravura acting.” – Operaramblings
In Hypothetical Baby, Rachel Cairns mixes data and drama to present an autobiographical work that dares to publicly talk about abortion the way we do privately — with neurotic vulnerability, unflinching honesty, and frank irreverence. This touching and hilarious one-person show grapples with the personal and societal factors that shape our reproductive lives and the intricate relationship between choice, change, and loss. Cairns, named “one of the country’s most original actors” by The Globe & Mail, recipient of My Entertainment World’s Performer of the Year Award, and the creator of the award-winning Aborsh podcast, offers up a searingly honest, laugh-out-loud, and breathtakingly nuanced performance on the timely topic of the right to abortion.
This will be our first collaboration with Nightwood Theatre, Canada’s preeminent feminist theatre.
Group Discount: Group bookings of 10 or more can save 10% with code: HBGROUP25
HYPOTHETICAL BABY Team:
Written and performed by Rachel Cairns
Directed by Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster
Stage Manager: Meghan Speakman
Apprentice Stage Manager: Taylor Zalik-Young
Production Manager: Pip Bradford
Production, Lighting & Projection Design: Julia Howman
Sound Design: Cosette “Ettie” Pin
Shadow Production Manager: Alyssa Ruddock
Publicist: Victoria Laberge
TALKBACKS & ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES
February 23
ASL Interpreted performance.
February 23 – “Universal Contraceptive Care“
Reproductive choice starts with access to contraception, yet many Canadians still face barriers. Join us to discuss the push for Bill C-64, which would ensure universal access to contraception and address broader concerns about privatization in public healthcare.
February 27 – “Sexual Education 2.0“
Abortion stigma thrives on silence and inadequate sex education. Join guests Nadine Thornhill and Quinn Lazenby from Action Canada as we explore how comprehensive sex ed improves equity and fights stigma, while “parental rights” rhetoric fuels anti-2SLGBTQIA+ policies and far-right agendas.
March 2 – “Theatre as a Catalyst for Change“
How can plays like Hypothetical Baby galvanize public conversation and lead to meaningful political action? Join Darrah Teitel (playwright, activist, and labour organizer) and Rachel Cairns as they discuss bringing the topics of sexual health and reproductive rights to the stage.
Supported by the (Re)Setting the Stage project at York University.
March 4 – “The Future of Abortion Advocacy“
Join legendary activists Judy Rebick and Carolyn Egan, who worked alongside Dr. Henry Morgentaler in the fight to decriminalize abortion, as they share the stage with Avreet Jagdev and Nora Ahmadi, rising leaders from U of T Students for Choice. Together, they’ll reflect on the hard-fought battles for reproductive rights and the next generation’s role in protecting and advancing them.
March 5 – “Affordable Housing”: Reproductive Justice’s Foundation
Reproductive rights and housing justice are more connected than you might think. Guest Chiara Padovani unpacks how access to safe, affordable housing shapes the realities of abortion care and reproductive choice. From financial insecurity to systemic barriers, this discussion dives into why the fight for housing is critical to achieving true reproductive justice.
March 8, 2pm matinee – Masked Audience Performance & “Reproductive Choice in a Climate Crisis“
Masked Audience Performance – This performance will require all audiences members to be masked while inside the building and for the duration of the show.
“Reproductive Choice in a Climate Crisis” Post-show discussion – As climate change accelerates, many young people are rethinking their decisions around having children. With Kanisha Acharya-Patel and Karishma Porwal, we will explore the intersection of reproductive and environmental justice, highlighting how both movements address systemic inequalities that disproportionately affect marginalized communities.
The Howland Company 