Many people remember the hilarious sitcom “Mother and Son” which was on Australian television screens from 1984 to 1994 of an ageing forgetful matriarch and her frazzled son who lives with her and cares for her (or tries to). This new stage version, which was also written by Geoffrey Atherden, has been updated, with mobile phones and zoom videos, with resulting hilarity, and delivered with fast paced repartee from all the characters, especially Maggie and Arthur Beare. It still tells about a dysfunctional family, and the comedy is just as funny and hilarious as the original.
Penni Hamilton-Smith was superb as the intermittently, seemingly demented Maggie Beare. She was alternately quick and sharp, with actions to match, and slow and calculating, with devastating effects on her carer son Arthur and the other members of her family. Her expressive posh English accent was very pronounced.
Patrick Clements as Arthur Beare was a perfectly exasperated, frustrated, wanting-to-help son, foiled by most of Maggie’s wily twists and turns, while trying to get away for some “me-time” on a holiday with his girlfriend Anita. Charming Mollie Mooney was the funky modern Anita who bounced her way through her performance, bringing a fresh outlook into the Beare family from lots of angles.
Stephen Bills portrayed a perfect Australian bastard, who cheated on his wife and cold heartedly manipulated his way out of his family obligations, as Robert Beare, the unreliable son who somehow still managed to get a lot of Maggie’s adulation.
The little dance sequence towards the end, with Sandy Whitelaw as Monica, well acted in a short, but hilarious cameo of quick witty conversation with Maggie.
Jessica Corrie as Steph, the serious Aged Care Assessor, got lots of laughs with her questions and Maggie’s answers. Several other characters were just voices, or on videos, adding phone conversations, such as Indian and American call centres, and video calls which expressed many people’s frustrations with modern technology.
All the characters gave us many laughs from the half- full audience at the Arts Theatre on opening night, and probably many of them could relate to the humour and pathos of the play’s situations. They clapped appreciatively at the end of every Act.
There were many costume changes for Maggie, ably catered for by Jude Hines and Sandy Whitelaw.
The Audio visual effects were excellent, mimicking a framed television screen at the back of the set. Lighting design by Richard Parkhill and Operation by Hannah Dunwell was faultless, given that there were 13 short Acts, and lots of lighting cues.
Many different phone sounds and other special sound effects were well timed by David Sinclair’s Sound Design. David Roberts’ videography was excellent, showing the “Zoom” video calls with appropriate “freezing” moments!
Director Jude Hines has done a wonderful job to tie it all together, with a great production team, to create a very funny, tight performance, reminiscent of the original television series. Well done all!
