JADAR

★★★★☆

Motherkind, a newly devised piece of theatre that details several authentic narratives, is an absolutely beautiful mosaic encompassing not only tales of motherhood but a delicate portrayal of womanhood and humanity.

Motherkind is a delicate and confident piece of theatre that should be seen by people of all kinds – not just mothers and daughters. Leaving the theatre, I was overwhelmed with emotion, love and excitement for the potential of community. It is theatre, like this, that takes us back to our roots of storytelling, reminding us that connection is the most important thing.

The flawless narrative analogies were remarkably crafted – for example, Lucy Follows, who performed a daring dark comedy compared giving birth to wanting to be a tiger but feeling like you aren’t strong enough to be one. This comment was well timed and utterly hilarious as Follows dazzled the stage in a leopard jumpsuit. The simplicity in the comedy paired with the realisation that we might not be tigers, but we are still leopards – we might not be what we wanted but we are still remarkable in unknown ways.

One of the most devastating themes was the slow pile of laundry that morphed into a baby, slowly being folded and handed off as the actors discussed child loss, miscarriage and early childhood illness. The use of physical storytelling from the use of puppets, shadow theatre, toys, plastic brains, and more, added a delicate detail elevating the narrative.

There are small adjustments that would boost the production to five stars. Understanding the high-paced work of Theatre Festival productions, I would urge the creative team to increase dedication to lighting design and development of their auditory pieces. Some of the music, voice notes and sound effects sounded cloudy and unclear, removing audience members from the live narrative. I believe the production would be heightened by either sticking to authentic storytelling or incorporating consistent acoustic themes.

Their storytelling was authentic, passionate and beautifully written. The cast expertly balanced comedy, intelligence, and emotional reactions to the words written. However, there were a few moments the writing felt forced and shortened. I would encourage this production to extend the timings to allow for a thorough investigation into each character or to focus on the specific transitions from comedy into grief. 

Motherkind is a clever, emotive, powerful and universal story that reminded me of the importance of conversation, the necessity of community and the real reason behind theatre – to make art, to heal, and to connect. This work should be seen, studied and heard by every kind of person. As an artist and storyteller, I only hope to create something as impactful as the stories of these women.