All Aboard! At Termination Station, a show designed to de-stigmatizing the conversation around abortion and dedicated to women, is one of the most memorable things I saw at fringe, and definitely the most important.
As I sat in anticipation in Bunker One, I listened to the news being played over about the Roe v. Wade decision, which, of course, bums us all out. But not for long – we suddenly hear Lilly Burton’s voice: “Can you imagine if I started the show like that?” In she bursts, dancing, wearing a bright pink set and a sparkly conductor’s hat; she is going to be seen, heard, and understood.
Using various props, including an orange, blueberry, and grape with google eyes and mustaches, and two pregnancy tests taped together to make a cross, Burton talks about her experiences of abortions, including one when she was 19, terrified and uninformed. Her openness about it breaks the stigma and addresses the issues head-on. She even takes us on a tour of the inside of her body; it doesn’t get more straightforward than that.
To say Burton is energetic is an understatement. It’s clear her passion fuels her. She addresses the audience directly, breaking down the wall and making what she has to say accessible, impactful, and personal. She makes it clear the decision to have an abortion is about love – new life deserves to feel loved and wanted – and you deserve to love yourself and live for what you want.
All Aboard! is hilarious and fun; passionate and moving; impactful and essential. It’s art and it’s activism – shouldn’t those two things overlap?
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
In addition to being an actress and writer, Burton is an executive committee member of Abortion Rights UK, the only grassroots pro-choice campaign in Britain, working for safe, free, legal, and accessible abortion. You can access the website here.
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