Noni Hazlehurst, an Australian treasure, with a career starting in the early 70’s, has touched an entire generation. Each time I discussed the show Mother to family and friends, mentioning Hazlehurst, I got the same recognition each time, of her presence in Play School.
Powerful, moving and challenging are three words I would use to describe Noni Hazlehurst’s performance in the theatre production Mother, performing at the Cremorne Theatre at QPAC until August the 18th. This play gives the audience an insight into the difficult life of a woman named Christie, expertly played by Hazlehurst, all the while exploring challenging themes. The show encourages a dialogue about the life of a woman who has suffered and dealt with discrimination on a daily basis and it doesn’t stop there.
The contemporary curtain-less style of theatre, where the play begins before it really begins, and pulls you in from the get-go, adds a real authentic touch to the theatre piece. The technique allows audiences to tune in to the ambience and genre/style of the piece before them, allowing for a sneak peek before the show officially begins.
Starting with an exposed stage allowed audiences to examine the minimalist set design featuring discarded objects creating different places within the same space. It was highly engaging to observe Christie wandering through this space and making it her own, from the moment I walked through the door I could hear the sound of crows, adding to the ambience of the environment Hazlehurst’s character was in.
Another aspect that made the show a stand-out performance was Hazlehurst’s detail and attention to the character she was playing, and it was absolutely phenomenal. Every movement, twitch and touch, the way she talked to herself and the way she held herself, was true to the character. Hazlehurst’s portrayal of Christie made for a shockingly real, and touching, representation of a woman struggling to hold onto life with two hands.
The story that was told had been expertly crafted and every line of dialogue that was written had an honest Australiana ring about it. There was never a point where I thought what came out of Hazlehurt’s mouth was fake or untrue to the character at hand.
From the tremble to her hands and to the tremble to her lips, Hazlehurst has done this character and the story justice. This performance is most definitely worth a watch, and is a haunting portrayal, which you’ll want to discuss with in-depth, therefore I would highly recommend going with a friend or in a group. I can safely predict that Mother will at the top of my list of performances for 2018.
Director Matt Scholten
Writer Daniel Keene
Set, Costume and Props Designer Kat Chan
Lighting Designer Tom Willis
Sound Designer Darius Kedros
August 7th-18th
Cremorne Theatre, QPAC
Review by: Joanna Letic