Hush review

It is said that good things come to those who wait and boy is that true! After three COVID postponements and a successful staged Zoom reading last year, Ciella Williams’ Hush has finally hit the stage and you do not want to miss it!

Directed by the brilliant Lucy Clements, Hush is set inside a Darwin hospital and follows Nina (Clementine Anderson), a young woman with a choice to make, a choice that doesn’t really seem her own. She is on the brink of motherhood and facing paralysing complications with her pregnancy. Not only physically being bedridden but also immobilised by her anxieties over this looming decision, Nina drifts in and out of reality as she tries to grapple with what to do.

These anxieties are physically embodied through the characters of Bee; her supportive best friend (who isn’t all that she seems) and through the ghost of her young pregnant mother. Both Stella Ye and Sasha Dyer’s balance of tension and comedic relief allowed us to care for these characters; making the realities of their own history hit just a little bit harder.

In the bed across from her lies the antipodal Ainsley, a slightly older woman with grit and strength who is awaiting a C-section. The genuine friendship between these two characters was a personal highlight for me and Zoe Jensen is a scene stealer. Her no-nonsense attitude, commitment to her character and impeccable comedic timing helped to alleviate some of the tension, adding a much needed sense of lightness between the heavier scenes. Anderson’s performance is both brilliantly heartbreaking and heartwarming and should be commended – as should the rest of the cast and crew!

Being set in a hospital, this all female cast is (of course) completed through the character of the nurse, played by Rachael Chisholm. A stoic professional yet caring figure with a little bit too much of an investment in this child. Chisholm toes the line between professionalism and vulnerability beautifully and leaves us feeling for her in her own struggles for a child.

Hush is an honest and thought provoking look at the ‘miracle’ of childbirth and what it really takes to be a mother. It’s a subversion from the more traditionally acceptable stories of ‘post-natal glow’ and paints a more confronting image of the trials and tribulations that motherhood can bring – from potential medical complications to post-natal depression and even intergenerational trauma.

This is truly an incredible production and I am glad that it is finally getting its run. So do not miss out! Hush will be playing at Flight Path Theatre for another week before heading to Darwin for another run later this year. However I am sure this is not the last we will see of this brilliant team.

It is heart-warmingly lovely to see a theatre company tackle the delicate topics of pregnancy, fertility and birth; all of which are relevant, universal and incredibly poignant. On a gloomy wet Friday evening, the audience packed into the Flight Path Theatre to be transported into the surreal yet evocative world of troubled protagonist Nina.

The relationship between Nina (Clementine Anderson) and Ainsley (Zoe Jensen), two pregnant women sharing a room in a maternity ward, is touching. Both actors are genuine, grounded and truthful, and display the power of female friendship as they navigate each other’s rock bottoms. They really honoured playwright Ciella Williams’ work, bringing depth and dynamic to their often sombre situations.

The other three characters are integral to Nina’s story. Williams’ has woven Nina’s mother into the plot as a familiar voice within Nina’s head. Nina’s friend Bee provides an outlet for Nina’s anxieties and offers a voice of reason and later portrays a voice of fear. However, unfortunately the delivery of these characters seemed synthetic, the physical and vocal characterisation of each uncomfortable to watch. Nina’s conflicted nurse showed moments of potentially heart wrenching depth, however the audience’s sympathy was hindered by the character’s unreasonably unlikeable nature; a shame as her circumstance is ever so resonant to a huge proportion of Australian women. While the placement of these characters was appreciated, it stagnated the production’s pace, already quite relaxed. It’s evident these actors are talented – they just seemed mismatched stylistically.

The production briefly touched on abortion, however it was disappointing that the option of termination was frowned upon as a “way out”. Our society has come a long way in discussing abortion, particularly with America’s recent discriminatory laws sparking conversation over the past 12 months. The conception of Nina’s baby is only addressed when Nina admits she doesn’t know who the father is. A plethora of societal complications around having children could be explored – alas, the topic of unwanted pregnancy in this production seemed far from progressive.

The production design was simple yet effective. The sound design was commendable, heightening the surrealism and weaving a suitable eeriness through the space. These aspects contributed to the performance, which proved dynamic, albeit a slow pace.

There is definitely something about Hush. It’s relevant, real and has potential to be striking in its emotive nature. I sincerely look forward to a later season of Hush after further developments.