The ribald, fast-talking woman known only as "Her" is funny, confident and in love, but nervous about one thing: Bringing up the idea of children to her boyfriend.

When she finally does, to her joy, he agrees. In fact, they've just bought a house in a gentrifying neighborhood of London; a child seems like a good idea. 

But that's when their life goes downhill.

Simon Stone's shattering drama "Yerma," based on Federico Garcia Lorca's 1934 play, is a devastating look at a woman's obsession with her own inability to conceive. Her childlessness is like a disease that eats away at her from her womb out, shattering her relationships and crushing her identity.

"Her" is played by Billie Piper and it is the most compelling performance of the season. The role is Shakespearean in its complexity, moral ambiguity and rage, and Piper brings to it a snarling honesty that starts out with raunchy wisecracking and ends with a primal scream.

Her transparency and vulnerability are showcased by Lizzie Clachan's extraordinary set. It's a two-sided, glass box, with the audience on either side. Between scenes, it transforms to reflect the woman's inner life, and in fact, the play is made more profound by one particular scene change, which would be spoiled if I revealed it here.

Piper's ferocity, however, never overshadows the rest of the cast, despite their more restrained performances. It is a testament to their skill and that of Stone, who also directed the play. "Her's" mostly-absent partner (Brendan Cowell), her confused sister (Charlotte Randle), her chilly mother (Maureen Beattie), and her grounded best friend and ex-lover (John MacMilan) all want to help her, but are driven away by the depth of her pain.

This production is a triumph. And it's one of the best things on a New York stage in this — or any — season.

Yerma, by Simon Stone after a play by Federico Garcia Lorca. Directed by Simon Stone. At the Park Avenue Armory through April 21.