MOCKINGBIRD
Meteor Theatre, 1 Victoria Street, Hamilton
07/03/2019 - 07/03/2019
Production Details
Written by Lisa Brickell
with composer Sarah Macombee
and dramaturge Ruth Dudding
Directed by Giovanni Fusetti and Ruth Dudding
Mockingbird – a comedy about mental health
Fresh from sell-out seasons in Norway, Sydney and Waipu
Based on the true stories of four generations of women and their devilish alter egos, Mockingbird is a tongue-in-cheek portrayal of postnatal distress, which affects approximately one in seven women and many men every year.
Written by Lisa Brickell in collaboration with composer Sarah Macombee and dramaturge Ruth Dudding, Mockingbird is performed by Lecoq trained actor Lisa Brickell and musician/actor Siri Embla. Directed by Giovanni Fusetti and Ruth Dudding, Mockingbird follows Tina (Brickell), a counsellor who is afraid of commitment and terrified of having children due to her family history of postnatal depression. Brickell masterfully switches between four generations of characters and their hilarious ‘inner critic’ which she performs in a Commedia dell’arte style half mask.
Mockingbird is rich with personal anecdotes from Brickell’s own family and informed by the work of Dr Diana Jefferies and her team at Western Sydney University, who studied historical accounts of women admitted to Sydney’s Callan Park and Gladesville Hospitals from 1885 to 1955. Brickell also consulted mental health organisation Changing Minds NZ. Taimi Allan, CEO of Changing Minds, says that sharing the real-life ‘lived experience’ is ‘absolutely integral’ to breaking down the stigma, barriers and discrimination associated with mental health issues.
“Helping people to share those experiences, through the powerful and engaging medium of theatre and sensitive use of humour, is a wonderful way to gain empathy and understanding rather than sympathy from audiences,” says Allan.
“This is the most wonderful show, deeply moving, hysterically funny with a twist that takes you to the darkest of places and returns you to the light.” — Alex Bonham, What’s Good, Auckland
Itinerary
Wednesday 6 March Onewhero
Doors 7pm Show 7.30pm
OSPA Theatre
$25 Book: www.ospa.org.nz or the Goodness Grocer Pukekohe
Thursday 7 March 7.30pm Hamilton
The Meteor Theatre
$25 GA, $20 Concessions
Book: www.themeteor.co.nz
Friday 8 March 7.30pm Paeroa
Paeroa Little Theatre
$25 Book: Arkwrights Antiques and Positive Paeroa
Saturday 9 March 7.30pm Coromandel
Hauraki House Theatre
$20 Book: Harcourts Coromandel
Sunday 10 March 7.30pm Opotiki
Opotiki Library
$20 Book: Opotiki Library
Monday 11 March 8pm Gisborne
Unity Theatre
$30
In Cahoots with AOTNZ
Book: www.eventfinda.co.nz
Wednesday 13 March 7.30pm Waipawa
CHB Municipal Theatre
Waipawa
$25 book: www.eventfinda.co.nz or CHB Theatre
Friday 15 March 8pm Upper Hutt
Expressions Whirinaki Arts Centre
$20 book: www.expressions.org.nz
Saturday 16 March 7.30pm Picton
Picton Little Theatre
$25 Book: Take Note Picton and Alyssums Blenheim
Monday 18 March 7pm Lincoln
The Laboratory
$20 (Door sales $25)
Book: over the Bar or 03 325 3006
Tuesday 19 March 7.30pm Ashburton
Ashburton Trust Event Centre
Open Hat (No charge prior to the event)
Wednesday 20 March 7.30pm Hokitika
Old Lodge Theatre
$20 Book: Hokitika’s Regent Theatre
Friday 22 March 7.30pm Bannockburn
Coronation Hall
Adults $25, SuperGold $20, Student/child $5
Book: Cromwell iSite
Monday March 25 8pm Stewart Island
Stewart Island Community Centre
$25 Door sales
Wednesday 27 March 7.30pm Oamaru
Inkbox Theatre
Oamaru Opera House
$20-$25 plus fees
Book: Ticketdirect and Oamaru Opera House
Thursday 28 March 7.30pm Fairlie
Mackenzie Community Theatre
$20 Book: Heartlands Fairlie Resource Centre
Sunday 31 March 7.30pm New Plymouth
4th Wall Theatre
$25 Book: www.4thwalltheatre.co.nz
Biographies
Lisa Brickell – Writer and Actor
Lisa Brickell trained in comedy, mask work and physical theatre at The Lecoq Theatre School in Paris and with Giovanni Fusetti at the Kiklos Drama School in Italy. She also studied at the Commedia dell’Arte School with Antonio Fava in Italy. She has an MA in Drama, focusing on script writing from Auckland University, and hasdirected and performed in theatre, film and TV both in New Zealand and overseas, including with directors such as Michael Hurst, Christian Penny and Anna Marbrook (NZ), companies such as Theatre and Beyond (UK) and Tantimutanticompanganti (Italy/ France/Brazil). She has taught drama in many countries, including America, Asia, the UK and NZ (Auckland University and Unitec).
Siri Embla – Musician
Siri Embla is an international freelance performance artist with a wide range of skills including acting, physical theatre, dance, improvisation, singing / song writing, video-poetry and clowning. Born in Norway, she received training at Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts, Baardar Academy of Musical Theatre in Norway, Al Wunder (Theatre of the Ordinary) and with clown masters such as Ira Seidenstain, the I.S.A.A.C. and Giovanni Fusetti.
Giovanni Fusetti – Co-Director
Giovanni Fusetti is a multi-disciplinary teacher, director and facilitator who trained and taught at the Lecoq Theatre School in Paris and is founding director of Kiklos Teatro and HELIKOS International School of Theatre Creation in Florence, Italy. He has worked internationally as a teacher and director, working with leading theatre companies, universities and training centres, including: LISPA (London), Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre (California), Accademia Teatrale Veneta (Venice), The University of London, Rosegarden Theatre House (Norway), Princeton University, University of Auckland, Unitec, Toi Whakaari (NZ), Cabuya Teatro (Buenos Aires, Argentina), The Clod Ensemble (UK), Tre Magi Teatro (Italy), Il Triangelo (Italy-UK-Canada), and Pantakin da Venezia (Italy) www.giovannifusetti.com
Ruth Dudding – Co-director and Technician
Ruth Dudding is a professional freelance director, film maker and movement tutor.
She graduated from Toi Whakaari, in Wellington in 1982 and L’Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris in 1985 and has worked widely in the New Zealand film, television and theatre community ever since.
Arts On Tour NZ (AOTNZ) organises tours of outstanding New Zealand performers to rural and smaller centres in New Zealand. The trust receives funding from Creative New Zealand as well as support from Central Lakes Trust, Community Trust of Southland, Interislander, Otago Community Trust, Rata Foundation and the Southern Trust. AOTNZ liaises with local arts councils, repertory theatres and community groups to bring the best of musical and theatrical talent to country districts. The AOTNZ programme is environmentally sustainable – artists travel to their audiences rather than audiences required to do the travelling.
CAST
Lisa Brickell
musician/actor Siri Embla
Theatre , Music ,
Engaging, full of energy and clarity
Review by Cate Prestidge 10th Mar 2019
Described as ‘a black comedy about mental health’, Mockingbird was first devised and written by Lisa Brickell (Funny Business) in 2014 to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of post-partum depression. She believes in “the power of the serious laugh” and drew on her family story in her original 30 minute show, which was workshopped with Directors Ruth Dudding and Giovanni Fusetti.
Since then she has substantially re-worked it, with input from academic Diana Jefferies (University of Western Sydney) and support organisation Changing Minds. In its current form it is a solid hour of performance of multiple characters, music and mask performed by Brickell, supported by on-stage musician and performer, Simi Embla.
There’s a full house at The Meteor and we enjoy a short welcome from Dudding in front of a simply-set stage with minimal props and a keyboard. The script focuses on a universal theme, shown through four generations of one family with Brickell as the main performer. Embla provides live music to set the mood and provides commentary through questions, critique, facts and by engaging directly with Brickell in her various roles.
The subject matter is difficult, but not depressing, with the aim of engendering empathy and understanding of what was once called ‘melancholia’ but what we now know as post-partum depression.
I like the atmosphere given by the keyboard and music (some recorded) as I follow the narrative from our modern day Tina back to her great grandmother Alice and through the generations. The mix of historical memoir, dialogue, dance, humour and storytelling along the way is a gentle way of broaching the subject, with Embla taking on the more authoritarian roles and interventions.
Brickell is a high energy performer who creates multiple female and male characters using simple costume elements and physical form. The influence of the Lecoq school and commedia dell’arte is apparent in her characterisation and mask work, and the personification of the repeated, unwelcome visits of ‘Depression’ to each generation of new mother is a successful adaptation of the malevolent, yet vulnerable Pantalone character.
Playing multiple characters is demanding but Brickell is very accomplished and engaging, full of energy and clarity. Some of the strongest moments in the show for me are when Embla and Brickell are interacting as this gives a physical energy and connection that can’t be easily replicated by one actor. I appreciate the stripped back nature of the show is a deliberate decision, but I’d love to see how this show would develop if the musician could be more physically part of the performance, as Embla is a great foil to Brickell and I wanted to see more of her.
Accessibility of the performers is a key part of the Arts on Tour philosophy and I recommend staying for the Q & A after the show. A group of drama students from a local high school get great insight and tips about how Brickell approaches her craft and it is interesting to hear about the genesis and ongoing research and development of the script.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
Comments
Editor March 14th, 2019
Here is the link to Cate Prestige's chat with Jesse Mulligan about Mockingbird on RNZ, Wed 13 March 2019