The Mother Play: A Play in Five Evictions
A must-see Studio Theatre production!
The Mother Play is a serious comedy about family, responsibility to others, and the difficulty in loving a hostile parent. It is about what it was like to come out at the beginning of AIDS. It is about life and death; all told in a charming, and often funny way. Author Paula Vogel is a wonderful writer, clearly devoted to the memory of her brother Carl, who died of AIDS. In this play, her brother Carl is a major character. The author is represented by the character Martha. And whether or not Phyllis is a representation of their mother or not, she represents so many mothers.
The play begins and it’s 1964 when the Herman family experiences their first eviction. We see them over the next four decades, at least Martha and her mother, as Carl passes away from AIDS, leaving Martha with her aging mother. Martha is a lesbian and we see how mom dealt with, or didn’t deal with, that.
Dad left the family for another woman, and took whatever money they had. Phyllis never really got over that. She is in turn glamourous, moody, and an alcoholic. She tries to emotionally manipulate her children by withholding any affection most of the time.
The play is very well written and grabs you from beginning to the end. It is superbly directed by Margot Bordelon.
All three characters are played by great actors. They all keep you riveted and bring out the emotion in their characters, and get the audience to feel it with them. Kate Eastwood Norris, is Phyllis. She is at times funny, caring. Intolerant, angry, strange and it seems a stranger to her own children. Norris is great at all of this. Stanley Bahorek, is Carl, and you feel with him as he comes out, and has to deal with his mother who will not accept him, and pushes him away. And Zoe Mann, is Martha. She holds the play and family together, and must deal with her mother as she ages, after Carl is gone.
The play takes place in apartments in Montgomery and Prince Georges County. There is one scene any gay man in DC in the 80’s and 90’s will relate to, as it takes place in the Lost and Found, a gay dance club, that was in Southwest.
The set is simple but effective and kudos to Set Designer, Krit Robinson. The lighting is very effective, and a big part of the play. Including showing the magots and roaches, in the apartments. Thanks to Lighting Designer, Amith Chandrashaker.
The Mother Play: A play in Fve Evictions, will be at the Studio Theatre through January 4, 2026. I urge you to go see it. It is a wonderful, and moving, evening in the theater. It is presented in ninety minutes without an intermission. Get your tickets today. This show will sell out fast.
