Hypothetical Baby

A Nightwood Theatre production in association with The Howland Company

Written by Rachel Cairns
Directed by Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster
 

February 22 – March 8, 2025
Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street, Toronto

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 and recipient of My Entertainment World’s Performer of the Year Award, 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 The Howland Company. 

 

This show is approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. 

Content Advisory: This production contains mature content, including coarse language, and discussion of abortion, miscarriage, sexual assault, sex, and gender.

General $45-$50 | Arts Workers/Senior/Student $22-27 | Community Access $15
Previews: February 22 & 23, 2025
Performances: February 27 – March 8, 2025
Tuesdays – Saturdays at 8pm. Saturdays & Sundays at 2pm.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES: 
ASL Interpreted Show – Sunday, February 23 at 2pm

Masked Show – Saturday, March 8 at 2pm

Tickets can be purchased at the link below or by calling the Factory Theatre box office at 416 504 9971.
Click here for accessibility information.

Check out the rest of our 2024-2025 season and consider booking a Nightwood Two-Show Pass for additional savings!

BOOK TICKETS

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

February 23 

ASL Interpreted performance.

February 23 – Universal Contraceptive Care

Reproductive choice starts with access to contraception, yet many Canadians still face barriers. Join special guests Liz Thompson & Lali Mohammed 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 Khaldah Salih 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 matinee
Masked Performance

March 8 matinee – Reproductive Choice in a Climate Crisis

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.

“Cairns is a gifted writer with a personal, timely story to tell”
- Intermission Magazine
“One of the country's most original actors”
- The Globe & Mail
“Powerful - eloquent and riveting - filled with laughs and tears in equal measure.”
- A View From The Box
“Sharp and witty writing, and a nuanced exploration of wider social issues.”
- She Does the City
“...as intimate and emotional as it is politically relevant.”
- Our Theatre Voice