Call Me Mother

Call Me Mother is a stunning one-person theatre piece, written and performed by Scarlet Rose, a non-binary Perth actor, whose life changed when they found themselves pregnant. Skillfully written and performed, it was a pleasure to accompany Scar (they have never felt like Scarlet) on their journey.

This play started its life as a ten-minute show which was part of The Blue Room’s Summer Night’s 600 Seconds program in 2023. (I saw that show, and this was the reason I was keen to revisit this performer and the further developed work). Since then, Scar has made developments in residency with M/others Who Make, Boorloo I December 2023 and NEST Materna, Columbia in February 2025.

Scar forms a warm relationship with the audience, trading them as old friends, delivering some lines to individuals, asking a person to hold a microphone, and if there is room, sitting among them. Scar is warm, highly personable, raw and honest.

Presented using monologue, with videos and photos on a set strewn with washing baskets, we hear stories of Scar’s self-discovery and gender journey from a patriarchal upbringing and through pregnancy, birth and motherhood. As Scar reiterates several times “OI have a lot to say, and not much time to say it.” We learn that the day of Scar’s son’s birth was the worst day of Scar’s life (a nightmare of patriarchal obstetrics, misgendering, pain and obstetric violence), despite the fact that this now four-year-old is the best thing that has happened.

Lots of interesting points of view and situations that had me thinking (Could we put a large rainbow above the bed and a rainbow wristband on our non-binary, agender and male birthers - as a reminder to hospital staff that are used to “everyone” being she/her, female and mothers?)

An interesting and thoughtful production, sensitively performed by a talented writer and performer.

Kimberley Shaw

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