What Is The Matter With Mary Jane?

Awarded actor Stefani Rossi continues to blaze a trail demonstrating how energy, focus and impeccable timing and perfect habitation of the performance space can make your heart break one minute and smile with delight at the lightning fast quips, the next.

Written by Australian author, children's writer, playwright and dramatist, radio show host, disability activist, comedian, and television personality Wendy Harmer, What Is The Matter With Mary Jane? is the autobiographical story of Sancia Robinson’s battle as a recovering anorexic and bulimic. Interestingly, Robinson, a talented actor, was a student of this show’s Director Tony Knight when he was Head of Drama at NIDA. He reflected on the fact that he didn’t see the signs, and for him, the collaboration with Rossi has been a labour of love and contribution to spreading the message about this insidious disease.

Now recognised as a preventable, deadly killer, anorexia nervosa is not a fad or whim, it is a largely silent psychiatric disorder affecting thousands of people each year. This production by Freefall Productions supports The Butterfly Foundation, and those attending the performance are invited to support the over one million Australians who are living with an eating disorder.

Whilst this sobering information does not sound like the introduction to a joyful night out, this 60-minute one-woman show is not bleak and is a journey of survival, resilience and hope presented using pithy humour, palpable energy and stirring pathos.

The staging is simple and utilitarian and the standout features are four large mirrors that are used to constantly reflect Rossi, creating a sense of scrutiny and monitoring throughout. A whiteboard is used by Rossi to chronicle the stages of her journey of self-destruction as she moves from a vulnerable 16-year-old who throws a tantrum at the dinner table over what she sees as her mother’s veiled attempts to fatten her up, interfering with her quest to look like ‘Nicole Kidman in a Chanel ad.’, exploring excuses not to eat out, her ‘In the Mirror’ self-castigation and her final resolution after seeking psychiatric help. Sound and Lighting by Stephen Dean is subtle and cleverly placed to highlight, yet never interfere with the relentlessly paced monologue. The scene utilising the pristine white toilet clogged and crammed with food that will ’come up in one lump’, (accompanied by the song parody ‘I’m a Regurgitator’) was a colourful demonstration of the daily life and thinking of an anorexic, yet was as curiously witty and funny as repulsing. I may never eat a Tim Tam again as a result.

Rossi uses her own name and believably ‘becomes’ the protagonist. She is taunting, conniving, vulnerable and ultimately victorious achieving this by engaging powerfully with her audience. Her face, looking scrubbed and open and innocent brings the feeling of an intimate personal exchange with someone who we all want to desperately save and it is not until later that it occurred to me to separate the performance from this deeply invested performer. Rossi cycles through many different characters including a heartbreaking conversation with the two halves of herself, her being cooperative and rational self for public consumption and the madcap cookery show presenter who instructs on how to be successful with supporting being anorexic and bulimic. The audience laughs heartily, but the levity is short-lived, ensuring that we never lose sight of the powerful message this brings.

Known for her work professionally in stage and film locally, notably as one of the three creators of STARC Productions (again with Knight and actor Marc Clement), Rossi has also made her mark internationally, performing lead roles in UK companies Smokescreen Productions and Oyster Creative shows at the Edinburgh Fringe. This one-woman show gives Rossi the chance to strut her energy and breadth of stage experience and potential. Her grasp of this complex, pacey monologue ensures that the flowing reflective and ultimately empowering story is both challenging and enlightening. Moreover, it is delightfully entertaining and is a masterclass in audience appeal.  

What Is The Matter With Mary Jane? is crammed with scientific facts (and fiction) and research about this hideous disease yet it never resorts to preaching. It is an uplifting theatre experience created by a talented team. The season is short. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy this important piece of theatre.

Jude Hines