Porpoise Pool

Family drama meets science fiction and psychodrama in writer Jojo Zhou’s Porpoise Pool. The play is a heart wrenching yet endearing display of the burdens of motherhood.

The main character Lou is harassed because she does not possess a natural feminine instinct to be a mother. We learn that she has been scarred by her own experiences as a child and during the play the set becomes a metaphor for motherhood itself.

This play is bolstered by outstanding performances. Meg Clarke, as the dishevelled young mother Lou, hits both comedic and traumatic notes with ease. Luke Leong-Tay is a loveable yet high-strung young father Jonah.

Jane Mahady plays a robotic yet human embodiment of an artificially intelligent house. Loretta Kung is both a crazy neighbour and a cold mother, and Carlos Sanson Jr is a drug dealer who pulls paraphernalia from the front of his pants. The five actors have wonderful chemistry, which makes the show feel alive and intimate.

In addition to the performances, Porpoise Pool uses creative set design, lights, sound, and costumes that makes the production’s sci-fi and avant-garde sections possible.

These effects ranged from water constantly dripping from a rafter to one of the characters having giant red tentacle hands. Porpoise Pool gave the tech team the opportunity to show off their talents in a way that had the audience captivated and immersed in the world of the play.

Porpoise Pool has a good pace which balances comedy and drama, although the message is a little didactic at times.

The most devastating lines in the show are said by Kung as an octopus and Sanson as a seal. They were very entertaining as they mused that there are two types of mothers, either a good one or a selfish one.

Their performances are reason enough to go to the Belvoir St Theatre and see Porpoise Pool. 

Livia Greenberg