Review- Mother Matters- Apple Pie Productions
8-5-16
By: Sophia Zhang
The quintessential elements of home life - motherhood and apple pie -also make for a delightful and heartfelt evening of performance and celebration. Mother Matters by Apple Pie Productions certainly delivers in bringing thirteen monologues and ensemble pieces to life with engaging and heartfelt performances, nourishing our souls and our stomachs with servings of apple pie. Apple pie, (like Mother Matters) is very much like the embrace of a mother; warm, sweet, filled with love and comfort.
Using the existing charming, intimate, living room style setting (think comfy sofas if you get there early and art hanging from the walls) with a dining table in the background and a glimpse of the kitchen, added to the all round warmth, comfort and homely feeling of evening.
Arranged thoughtfully, the pieces carried the audience through a gamut of emotions and feelings. From the highly humorous opener “Think You’re Ready” read by Jennifer Davies and featuring the effervescent Davina Lee Carrete, to the tear jerking and heartbreaking “Broken Hearts” read by Lizzi Wood-Vashishtha and the touching and quietly dramatic “Nathan’s Story” read by Matthew Gillespie, all the monologues were thought provokingly performed and deftly written.
My only critique would be the pacing of some of the monologues; there is much to be gained in taking a moment, pausing for breath and letting the power of the words take shape in the audience’s mind.
To my mind the strongest performances came from the ensemble pieces with the actors clearly reveling in each other’s energy and enjoyment. Capping off the night, ensemble piece “The 12 Stages of Motherhood” brought the house down with side-splitting laughter, wry and dry humor, and a joyous atmosphere.
If there are any seats left this evening (reservations required), go and bring your mother if you can. You’ll leave with a full, grateful heart and belly full of sweet apple pie.
Mother Matters is playing through May 8th. For more information, click here.
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