Babel by Jacqueline Goldfinger

“Babel” is a dark comedy set in the near future. Two couples are having trouble getting pregnant and the lengths they go to in order to have a baby raises the specter of eugenics, explores the societal value of a baby, and asks us what we are willing to risk for love. If you like Booker’s “Black Mirror,” Ishiguro’s “Never Let Me Go,” or Haley’s “The Nether,” then this play is for you. It requires four...
“Babel” is a dark comedy set in the near future. Two couples are having trouble getting pregnant and the lengths they go to in order to have a baby raises the specter of eugenics, explores the societal value of a baby, and asks us what we are willing to risk for love. If you like Booker’s “Black Mirror,” Ishiguro’s “Never Let Me Go,” or Haley’s “The Nether,” then this play is for you. It requires four characters (3F,1M) and a flexile set.
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Babel

Recommended by

  • Sophie McIntosh:
    14 Aug. 2022
    “ Darkly comedic feminist sci-fi theatre is all I could ever ask for, and this play delivers so exquisitely. It's such a joy to explore passionate, intense female characters who are allowed to go to such extreme lengths. ”
  • Kyle Smith:
    30 Jul. 2022
    “ I saw this play at CATF in West Virginia, and am so happy I did. This play addressed questions that have persistently been in the mind of the disabled community with humor, tenderness and hope. Well done. ”
  • Emma S. Rund:
    27 Feb. 2022
    “ I'm not usually a fan of science fiction or dystopian plays, but Babel achieved a level of realism that many science-fiction plays lack. The poetic language delivered just enough information for me to understand the world without overdoing the exposition. Very thought-provoking and reminiscent of a Black Mirror episode. ”
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This play is set in a future where genetic testing has become so fine tuned that most -isms (racism, sexism, etc) have been generally replaced with genetic discrimination. Therefore, the casting is very flexible.

Development History

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Redtwist Theatre
    ,
    2023
  • University
    ,
    Carnegie Mellon University
    ,
    2023
  • Professional
    ,
    Contemporary American Theatre Festival
    ,
    2022
  • Professional
    ,
    The Constructivists
    ,
    2022
  • Professional
    ,
    Scoundrel and Scamp Theatre
    ,
    2021

Awards

Nominee
,
Blackburn Prize
,
2019
Selection
,
The Kilroy's List
,
2019
Winner
,
Generations New Play Award
,
Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company
,
2018
Selection
,
Independence Foundation Fellowship in the Arts
,
2017
Winner
,
Smith Prize for Political Theatre
,
2017