Mother Play

Meet Phyllis, the Herman family matriarch, armed with gin and cigarettes, clinging to long-unfulfilled dreams. Her children, Carl and Martha, are on the cusp of adulthood in a rapidly changing America, ready to spread their wings and embrace new freedoms – but they’re not getting away from Mother that easily.

Set against a backdrop of societal upheaval and spanning over four decades, whip-smart dialogue and surreal comedy give way to painful vulnerability as the Hermans expose their roots and move house again. And again. And again.

Phyllis might tolerate the cockroaches, landlords, and casual violence that permeate their existence, but can she handle the new-found sexual liberation of the 70s and 80s invading her own home? Being confronted by her children's evolving identities might just drive her over the edge.

Mother Play is an absurd, funny, and unflinching exploration of family, identity, and the ties that both bind and break us, from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel (How I Learned to Drive). A poignant and hilarious new American classic for the 21st century.

Hot off its critically-acclaimed run on Broadway in 2024, Mother Play makes its Aotearoa debut with Silo in 2025 and stars theatre legend, Jennifer Ludlam.