Mama Stich

Whisky and Boots’ Mama Stitch is a location specific event that has played Midland, Gosnells and now Kalamunda, and will shortly travel to Bunbury. Local residents are interviewed and asked to reflect on their mothers. Their responses become the show that you see in each location - backed with original music.

The performance style is “Headphone Verbatim Performance”, where the actors deliver the recorded interviews as they hear them through the headphones, word for word, in real time, without embellishment, and are accompanied with beautiful underscoring and songs inspired by each story, by Holly Garvey, Tom Garvey and Mark Storen.

Performers Georgia King and Mark Storen beautifully recreate the voices that they are hearing, bringing the characters of the storytellers to life, with wonderful expression and genuine warmth. The stories are well-chosen and include warmth, tragedy, moments of great humour and every-day relatability.

But the performance is only part of the experience. Audience members are welcomed with a cup of tea, homemade bread and jam. The intimate performance space is decorated with family photos and hundreds of “letters to mum” - genuine letters from real people to their mothers - some heartbreaking, some perplexing and others very funny. At the end of the performance, audience members are invited to share their own letters to add to the project. 

Lovers of verbatim theatre and those who love their theatre intimate or a bit different are highly encouraged to catch Mama Stitch in one of its future incarnations. If possible, take your mum.

Kimberley Shaw