The Mother
Synopsis
She’s a loving wife. A devoted mother. And a woman slowly losing her grip on reality.
She is suspicious of her husband: what is he up to? Why is he so eager to go on his business trip?
She misses her son: why did he move out of their home? What is he hiding from her?
She feels uneasy about her son’s girlfriend: is she good for her son? Is she who she says she is?
Her doubts about her husband begin to border on paranoia. Her “empty nest” pining for her son starts to seem like lovesickness. Her nervousness about the girl comes to manifest as jealousy.
And as her behaviour becomes increasingly manic, what is really going on inside her mind?
Having staged The Father (2018) and The Son (2020), both to critical acclaim and sold-out runs, Pangdemonium’s production of The Mother completes this family “trilogy” by celebrated playwright Florian Zeller. A disturbing portrayal of one woman’s descent into an emotional abyss, The Mother is a searing examination of mental illness, and a surreal and suspenseful psychological thriller that takes us all on a trip between harsh reality and even harsher hallucination.
Quick Quotes
“Pangdemonium’s The Mother was moving and startlingly thought-provoking, forcing us to look at mental health right its tortured, misunderstood face. An intense production that was not without moments of burst-out-laughing humour amidst shake-head-in0disbelief gasps. Simply excellent.”
“Pangdemonium’s production of The Mother is scintillating, compelling and nothing if not stimulating...Koh’s masterful tour de force saw her portray a woman ‘on the edge’ with remarkable subtlety and nuance.”
“Director Tracie Pang, who excels at these tightly-paced family dramas, coaxes rich, naturalistic performances from her cast. Koh turns in a moving performance in the titular role...A lovely return to the kind of Pangdemonium play that we have so missed over the past year: big, bold and beautifully staged.”
“Janice Koh has gone above and beyond a simple performance, rising to the challenge to imbue this woman with nuance... The Mother is all too real, and likely to resonate with anyone who knows women in a similar predicament.”
“The Mother is an unnerving look at the deterioration of a woman’s mind and it goes to some unpleasant pleasant places. You leave the theatre planning to call your mother.”
Photos and Videos
Credits
Directed by
Tracie Pang
Written by
Florian Zeller
Starring
Janice Koh
Adrian Pang
Jamil Schulze
and
Mehr Dudeja
IMDA Rating
Advisory 16 – Some Mature Content & Coarse Language
Victoria Theatre
22 October - 7 November 2021
Power To The People
“Beautifully produced by Pangdemonium, it was at once cerebral and visceral. What a celebration of theatre, and what a sensitive, nuanced, multifaceted portrayal of how one’s mental health can bring them to their knees. Thank you Pangdemonium for bringing this poignant, heart-wrenching trilogy to us. Beautifully done, as always.”
“Thank you for a great show. It was a deeply moving and poignant portrayal of a mother’s mental health challenges. It made me feel heartbroken for a mother who gave her all for her kinds and now faces struggles on her own. Take time to appreciate those you love.”
“I am mind-blown by how they have staged such a simple yet complex story in an hour and a half. Amazing show that leaves you so much to think about.”
“Sad and harrowing, but executed beautifully.”
“Brilliant performance by Pangdemonium, and thank you for bringing out the importance of family and mental health. Kudos to Janice Koh for leading us through such a myriad of emotions.”
“Searingly good performances - BRAVO!”
“Stellar performances by the cast. Enjoyed the epic mindfuck, stunning set, perfect pacing. Big feels. Fighting back the tears was hard.”
“Thank you Pangdemonium for putting up such a stellar play with deep emotional insights into a mother’s journey. Janice Koh’s masterful portrayal, with every colour of emotions. Nothing quite like siting in a theatre hall and feeling all the energy from a group of world-class actors.”
“Feeling overwhelmed after watching this amazing play. Extremely powerful performances.”
“Beautiful, fabulous and extremely harrowing. Many congratulations to the cast and crew of The Mother! Bravo!”
