Amy Rutherford in Pre-Existing Condition | Photo by Elana Emer
Pre-Existing Condition, presented in its Canadian premiere by Coal Mine Theatre, is purposefully mundane and fragmented. An unnamed woman, identified in the program only as “A” (Amy Rutherford), must navigate the legal, emotional and social aftermath of an abusive relationship. There is no violence, no overtly ugly scenes, she’s already left the creep by the time we meet her. The mundanity of her interactions, the elliptical structure, the hiccups as she tries to engage with people and achieve some closure while consistently snagging on logistics and attitudes and thwarted by self-doubt—it’s all messy and complicated and provides no closure for her or us. Continue Reading