'night Mother - Meville Theatre Co

I am Vice President of Melville Theatre Company. I am also the director’s daughter. Last night I went to see ‘night Mother and sat in a very small audience and we all came away impressed. ‘night Mother is a beautifully written script, earning Marsha Norman the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1983. Whilst the main situation in the play is intense – a daughter declaring she will commit suicide later that night, the play itself is not overly heavy and there are many light moments when the audience found something to laugh about. You come away thinking but not drained from an intense evening of drama. To clarify that rather muddy thought, it is not intense from beginning to end without respite and therefore draining, although there are intense moments. I heard one audience member saying as much in the bar after the show, that despite its subject matter it was not a difficult night at the theatre, which she had expected it to be. I was also surprised and pleased to see two different audience members – unknown to the director, approach him as everyone left the auditorium at interval and say how much they were enjoying it. Brilliant was one word used. Superb was another. He was again congratulated at the end. And I reiterate, these were people unknown to him. The set, built by David Goodchild and Stan Brannick, worked well and the two actresses, Marcia Holt and Kylie Calwell both gave really believable, strong performances. The Melville Committee knew that ‘night Mother might not be a huge audience drawer, but I think it will be an audience pleaser for those who go. The first two nights have had very good audience responses. There are seats available to every remaining performance – today, June 15th at 2pm and then 8pm on June 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28. Bookings 9330 4565. Melville Theatre Company, Roy Edinger Hall, Corner Stock Road and Canning Highway. I encourage you to see this though provoking, well produced play. Cheers, Vanessa Jensen (who is openly declaring she has a vested interest in this play!)