by Elizabeth Archer
Jody Gerhman’s The Ticking Clock returns to the stage at Ukiah Players Theatre from February 13-March 1 after its original debut 16 years ago. Gerhman herself acts as the narrator, and shares the stage with nearly two dozen women in a series of poignant vignettes.
Original director Rose Bell also reprises her role, bringing a different perspective to her direction this time around as a mother herself. Bell also designed the set with David Wolf, a simple, impactful backdrop that sets the mood. (Also – shout out to Lalo Torres for his excellent technical direction.)
The show opens with perhaps the bravest performance of the night, helmed by one of the youngest cast members: Chiara Barber comes out swinging in a story about teen pregnancy that doesn’t go where you think it might.
Tears threatened my eyes many times throughout the show. They flowed in Erika Brewer’s well-acted “Where’s My Trophy?”, partially from the guilt of recognition of my own behavior. The visceral desperation of Ruthe Rhodes to complete her family in “Giving Up, Taking In” – a mix of wild-eyed optimism and crushing fear – stayed with me long after the show ended.
I also found myself laughing throughout, because life is funny and these actors have been given some funny material to match. Watching Kristin Hills both narrate and act out a particular scene in “My Orangutan,” a story about a lesbian couple having a baby via sperm donation, had me howling (pun intended). Don’t be afraid to laugh out loud, even if you were crying the moment before; even if you think a laugh would be inappropriate. Laughter, in life, is almost never wrong, so don’t hold it in.
What struck me most about this show was how common – mundane, even! – life’s most painful and most exciting experiences are. If you’re watching the show and think that parts of it feel predictable, that’s because life follows predictable paths – we just don’t get to know which path we’re on, which is the unsettling part. I appreciated that this show addressed these common occurrences head-on, shining a light on experiences that are so universal they’re almost invisible. Don’t forget, The Ticking Clock is based on interviews with 150 women – it’s all real, and the shared reality of cisgender womanhood is undeniable. (The experiences of trans women are not explored here.)
For audience members – men, women, and enbys alike – some of the vignettes will be a mirror into their own lives, and some will be windows into the lives of others. There’s something to relate to or learn from in all of them. That said, if you don’t like one of them, sit tight – it will be over soon and on to the next.
A few trigger warnings. First, there is some swearing. Second, it would be impossible to do a comprehensive exploration of motherhood without talking about infertility, pregnancy loss, and abortion. (Sexual assault is not discussed.) Abortion is most prevalent in “The Underground Network,” and some may choose to step out, but it would be a shame to miss Valerie O’Riordan’s straightforwardly powerful performance in this. (You can see her again on March 8 in her one-woman show, “Every Three Seconds.”) For what it’s worth, I am notoriously thin-skinned, and nothing in this show was too graphic or upsetting for my sensitive soul.
The Ticking Clock lays bare what most of us already know but don’t necessarily have the words, or wisdom, to express. It’s specifically about women and their experiences with motherhood, but there’s something for everyone in this series of powerful, poignant, sad, complicated, funny, and, above all, honest stories.
Elizabeth Archer, board member
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