The Kick Inside

The Kick Inside by Kerensa Diball is a feisty piece of feminist performance art addressing issues related to motherhood. Whether speaking to the past or the   present female generations, she is adamant about breaking down the barrier for the “barren spinsters”, ”frigid witches” and the eccentric “Aunt Frenzies” who did not experience the three trimesters and get to feel that “kick inside”.

She haphazardly goes back in time over the years, through centuries and gives a general overview of women and their place in society. Meanwhile, trying to touch base with her mother via phone, perhaps she is just an ordinary female from North Queensland and or that girl from Nullaboor, Northern Territory.  The mother  (of all mothers) finally gets back to her, respectful of her decision not to have children, but feels she will loose out on the love, pride and joy that having your own could bring to one’s life.

Inspired by the infertile Goddess Athena of the arts and wisdom, Diball had made the decision along with her boyfriend Roman, the musician seated behind the keyboards in the corner of the stage, that she to is to be a “childless Goddess” - a free spirit, and is content as a thirty–eight year old to “groove” around the world with him.

Diball provides a colorful palette of performance and gives a generous historical overview of the predicament of women through the ages. Her work shows courage and determination but is a little self-absorbed and predictable.

Flora Georgiou