The Seeing Place Theater has done it again with their rendition of Keely and Du. A play that was originally written by playwright, Jane Martin, first debuted in the early 90s. I must warn readers that the play does discuss topics of sexual assault, abuse and abortion and may not be suitable for all viewers.
Co-directed by Brandon Walker and Erin Cronica, Keely and Du is a live virtual performance that shines a light on religious fundamentalism, domestic abuse and a woman’s right to choose. After Keely is sexually assaulted by her abusive husband, she becomes pregnant. Keely, played by Erin Cronican, wants an abortion, but she is kidnapped by a group of religious zealots calling themselves Operation Retrieval. The cult’s mission is to stop her and all abortions in the name of God.
The two hour drama takes place primarily in a basement that has been converted into a prison. Thanks to Zoom’s ability to add backgrounds, the virtual viewers aren’t left out. The virtual set is dark and mysterious enough to fit the eerie mood of the performance.
Throughout the play, we see Keely pleading with her captors to release her. She’s been assaulted, abused and she feels she shouldn’t have to carry her pregnancy to term if she chooses not to. Contrastly, we see her kidnappers, Walter and Du, played by Brandon Walker and Audrey Heffernan Meyer, read her bible scriptures and try to convince her that life starts at conception. It’s strange to hear how righteous Du and Walter feel despite holding a pregnant woman hostage. However, a relationship starts to develop between Du and Keely. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a friendship, but they start to see what makes them similar despite having completely different ideologies. This relationship kind of humanizes Du for me.
The end of the play is quite surprising and relevant to today’s discussions surrounding reproductive rights. You can watch the live production through November 7th via Zoom. And a portion of the proceeds benefit the Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of St. Louis.
