MOTHERS
BATS Theatre, The Heyday Dome, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
19/10/2017 - 19/10/2017
Production Details
An improvised play exploring the magic and misery of motherhood.
Mothers is an improvised play exploring the magic and misery of motherhood. Featuring the true personal stories of mothers, daughters of mothers, sons of mothers and friends of mothers this show has been hailed as “a beautiful example of social, cultural and emotional catharsis through theater”.
Mothers is part of our Spontaneous Showcase, where five experienced directors present their work with a cast of festival participants brought together for one night only. Across the week every cast, crew, and production will come together in unique combinations, creating spontaneous comedy and theatre every single night. With these incredible improvisors and directors from all around New Zealand (and the world!), you’re in for a once-in-a-lifetime treat every time.
“Mothers is a remarkable fete of theatrical honesty that is equally as heart-breaking as it is fun.” — LeeAnn Johnson
BATS Theatre, 1 Kent Terrace, Wellington
Thursday, October 19, 2017
8:00pm
Theatre , Improv ,
1 hr
Poignant and funny
Review by Patrick Davies 24th Oct 2017
[Apology: this review was sent last Friday 20th October and got lost in cyberspace over the long weekend.]
Tonight (Thurs 19th)’s Improv presentation, Mothers, is led by Domeka Parker. As with other NZ Improv Festival shows, there has been a workshop of the format from which tonight’s participants are chosen.
Mothers is a rhapsody on mothers, unsurprisingly. We all have one or sometimes two or more and we all have stories both good and not so good. The format begins in the dark with soft cries of ‘mum’ that build to a hurtful cacophony – out of the dark we are born perhaps? Certainly this squall and constant need is what every mother hears (and may certainly suggest post-partum depression). The format reverses this at the end.
Meanwhile we are treated to a long-form show with scenes that are and are not connected, rhapsodising on mums from every possible angle. Being a mum, having a mum, not having a mum, etc. It’s interesting to sense a feel of the autobiographical at times – especially in the odd direct address monologues – but these mischievous improvisers could be winging it beautifully.
Muso Erin Upjohn Beatson does such a good job on keyboard and flute that at times I forgot she is live and improvising.
Toward the three-quarter mark I do feel we are falling into a circle of funny / sad / angry scenes, and though Parker breaks the routine structurally – the choral quartet is hilarious – this show could lose ten minutes and be better for it.
There are some poignant moments and some great crack ups – like the slightly wide-eyed, ridiculously funny ‘Women on Horses’, very much in the ‘aint-sure-what-we’re-doing-but-we’re-doin’-it’ improv category. My favourite moment has to be the Pauline Calme’s response to the lighting improviser bringing down the lights on her scene: her call of “Hey stop, go back, I want to do the scene” is right on the money for this kind of festival.
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