The extraordinary experiences of women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic will be brought to life at Hull Truck Theatre this October in An Unprecedented Birth, a new verbatim theatre production created from real-life testimony.
Written and produced by Elizabeth Godber and directed by Millie Gaston, the production brings together ten actresses to tell the stories of women navigating pregnancy, birth and new motherhood during an unprecedented moment in history; from appointments attended alone and changing hospital restrictions to isolation, anxiety and the realities of becoming a parent during lockdown.
The project began through Godber’s postgraduate research at the University of Hull, where she interviewed over 25 women about their experiences of pregnancy and birth during the pandemic. Having also trained in oral-history interviewing techniques with the British Library, Godber transformed those interviews into a piece of verbatim theatre, retaining the voices, humour, fear and honesty of the women.
The production is supported using public funding by Arts Council England and brings together an entirely female company both on and off stage, in this exclusive one-night-only script-in hand sharing. Gaston directs, with design by Kate Marshall.
The cast includes Pippa Fulton, known for playing Leanne in Channel 4’s Hullraisers, alongside Hull actors Martha Godber and Camille Hainsworth-Staples, and a wider company of actresses from across the UK, many of whom are mothers themselves.
While rooted in the unique circumstances of COVID-19, An Unprecedented Birth also shines a light on the continuing importance of perinatal and postnatal mental health. Through ten performers and the words of real women, the production explores what happens when the expectations surrounding pregnancy and motherhood collide with isolation, uncertainty and experiences rarely spoken about openly.
The performance will be followed by a post-show Q&A with university professors, midwives and professionals working in maternal and perinatal health, opening up a wider conversation around the experiences depicted on stage and how maternity and mental-health support has developed since the pandemic.
An Unprecedented Birth is presented at Hull Truck Theatre on Friday 10th October 2026.