Mother and Son

Moving a popular television series like the ABC’s Mother and Son from the screen to the stage is never easy, especially when the characters involved were as clearly defined and well-loved as Arthur Beare and his ageing mother, Maggie. However, if the adaptation is done by the original writer, who also writes for stage, there’s a chance that the move will work! In this case, it does!

In his adaptation, first produced in 2014, playwright Geoffrey Atherden has taken Arthur and Maggie firmly into the twenty-first century, where dementia is affecting more and more of our population … and there are more and more things to cause the confusion that made Maggie’s character so lovable.

In his foreword to the script, Atherden wrote: “Back in the early 1980s there were no mobile phones, no internet, no Skype, no personal alarm systems, none of the bits of technology that we take for granted but which can be very confusing for someone who is already confused”. There was also no respite care available and less home care assistance for carers. All of this Atherden used to update his original story to about the challenges of caring for a loved one with signs of dementia.

The play still follows the basic story line of the series. Arthur lives with his ‘forgetful’ and unappreciative mother Maggie who favours her other son, Robert, the “much too busy” dentist who is very manipulative. Life is easier because of technology – for example, Maggie has a mobile phone and iPad and talks to her grandchildren on Skype. But it is also more complicated. Mobile phones get lost. Scam phone callers try to con those who are less aware. A personal alarm system can be confusing. And wily older citizens can be very good at tricking dementia assessors!

That technology also drives the play. Director Jasper Kyle and his creative team have worked carefully together to record the many lighting and sound effects, sound recordings and video recordings necessitated by the script – and to integrate them into the scene changes without losing continuity and pace. Many of those changes are more ‘filmic’ than ‘theatre’, yet Kyle has found ways to make them as seamless as possible.

The set, cleverly designed by Wayne Chee, allows room for the Beares’ living room to accommodate a quick change of scene to a dentist’s reception area and the lounge of an aged care facility. Two screens allow Maggie to Skype with her grandchildren – and watch TV. Any of the scene changes could be problematic, but Kyle, his team – and his skilfully directed cast –  manage them deftly.

Playing the character of Maggie Beare, created originally by the inimitable ‘Grande Dame’ of Australian theatre Ruth Cracknell, could be daunting, but Christine Rule does so with courage, charm and comedic control. With gentle deference to the characteristics created by Cracknell – the hesitancy and wiliness especially – Rule makes the character a little more lively, more techno-aware, more colourful. It’s a challenging role made more so by many scene and costume changes, and multiple sound cues, but Rule manages all with aplomb.

Brenton Amies plays her much-put-upon son, Arthur, created originally by Gary McDonald. Amies brings his own sense of timing and humour to this character, using pause and wry expressions to comic effect – offset by real caring concern that endears his Arthur to the audience. As opposed to his brother Robert.

Nicholas Richard plays the brash, selfish Robert with confident ease. The Robert in this adaptation is just as manipulative as that played by Henri Szeps in the original series, but Atherden has made him more arrogant, non-caring and definitely more deceitful. Richard accentuates all these offensive traits making Robert a very unlikeable character.

His wife, played by Harsha D’Souza, is wise to his adulterous behaviour due to finding  his second phone and the photos therein – giving Atherden the chance to include a different humorous situation –  as well as a telling comment on the distasteful and incriminating use of technology.

Tida Dhanommitrapap plays Arthur’s new girlfriend, Anita, who is also a carer, in this case of a disabled brother. This is a clever twist that allows Atherden to include the complications faced by carers in managing their own personal relationships.

Ross Alexander plays Steve, come to “assess” Maggie’s dementia. Joan Rodd is Monica, whom Maggie meets in the foyer of a respite facility. This little scene is a lovely take on how older women might consider modern dress codes, but is firmly based on 2014 fashion rather than the present!

Wes Egan and Niamh Farrell play Robert’s children, who only appear on screen in ‘conscience’ calls to Maggie.

Jasper Kyle’s production of Mother and Son is smooth and entertaining – perpetuating the lovable characters from the television series in a twenty-first century setting with contemporary problems, contemporary portrayals and contemporary colour. A gentle, thoughtful comedy that brings Hunters Hill’s 2024 season to a close.

Carol Wimmer

Photographer: Kris Egan