Wednesday, August 15, 2012

MOTHERHOOD THE MUSICAL


By Sue Fabisch

The Q until 19th August.
Reviewed by Bill Stephens
Ziggy Clements (Brooke), Sophie Weiss (Amy), Lara Thew (Barb), Sophie Carter (Trisha)
MOTHERHOOD THE MUSICAL


Entertainment Alert !!! . Perhaps you’ve decided that you’ve already seen enough shows based around  women’s body parts and functions like menopause, breasts and  vaginas, and  expect “Motherhood The Musical” to be yet another show in which the characters complain about being over worked, underpaid, under-appreciated,  and how they  cope with demanding kids, boorish husbands , sagging breasts and incontinence. Then you’d be right. It is! 

But in this particular production, these all too familiar topics prove remarkably diverting with lots of funny topical references spicing up Sue Fabisch’s already witty script.

The threadbare storyline involves three friends who call on their pregnant girlfriend to regale her with their own individual experiences of motherhood. These are presented in a series of well-crafted songs that are catchy, even occasionally moving, cleverly choreographed and superbly delivered by a quartet of accomplished actors who manage to invest their characters with warmth and humour.

The centre of attention is the heavily pregnant, Amy, and in this role, gamin-faced Sophie Weiss is a delight. Blissfully happy at the beginning as she over-plans her forthcoming pregnancy, she experiences the full gamut of emotions as she endeavours to cope with the deluge of information bestowed on her by her three friends, Barb (Lara Thew), Brooke (Ziggy Clements) and Trisha (Sophie Carter).  All of whom offer engaging performances as the stereotypical friends.

 Terrence O’Connell’s inventive  direction insures that the carefully detailed  action moves  along a fast bat on Shaun Gurton’s cheerful, colourful setting for which the sound and lighting are also excellent.  

It is a shame that printed programs were not provided for this production, as the actors and creative associated with it have excellent credentials.  Most theatre-goers like to know who they are looking at, and seek this information from their programs once they are seated; therefore it is a shame that production companies so undervalue their actors by not providing this information in a printed program.

True, there was a notice providing this information displayed in the foyer, but most patrons would have missed this, and also it is of little use for identifying actors while watching a performance.