Mama said

‘Mama Said’ by playwright Helen Brett, is the latest Brainbox Project being presented DownStairs at the Maj (below His Majesty’s Theatre) at 825 Hay Street, Perth until Saturday 26^th September. The two-hour performance starts at 8.30 pm.

         It is Sydney in the mid 1950s, and a young innocent Anna (Alinta Carroll) has stars in her eyes, with a desire to become a chanteuse, famous for her French singing and renditions of the classics of performers like Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich. However, her mother who has performed for years without success and is living in abject poverty is very jealous of Anna’s talents. 

        Anna decides to leave home and seek her fortune, at first things go well. She falls in love with Dusty, a wealthy businessman, although Anna is not too sure, where his wealth comes from.

      One night, Dusty takes Anna to a posh restaurant where she meets a very shy accordion player (Eddie Staszak), whom she asks if she can sing to his accompaniment. The dinners love her.

       With financial security and stage success, will it be all plain sailing for this young girl?

The whole two-hour show is in the talented hands of Alinta. She is famous for her beautiful voice, but here she sings in a faultless French accent, with all of the emotions and style of the original performers. Alinta’s performance reminded me very much of the naïve Leslie Caron in the heart-warming 1953 film, ‘Lili’.

Alinta plays every character, slipping impeccably from her mother’s Australian twang to that of a Polish man. Her acting held the audience mesmerised as she related the tale of poor Anna.

Eddie’s accordion playing, under the musical direction of Tim Cunniffe, is soft and entrancing as he sensitively plays his way through the beautiful selection of French, German and English tunes.

Dene Irvin’s sound design was exceptional, with the effects superbly recorded and edited. Matthew Nankivell’s lighting created the correct mood and was used most effectively to depict the different venues of the storyline.

Director Jenny Davis, despite being ‘over 21’, has not lost her touch in the slightest. In fact this is one of her most moving shows for a while. Beautifully handled.

With Vera Lynn, at the age of 92, once again topping the charts around the world, it shows the demand for reminiscing is still strong.

Although at times this is a very sad and touching story, one leaves the theatre uplifted, smiling and with a real ‘feel good’ sensation. A polished presentation.