An initiative of Queensland Theatre (QT), the DOOR 3 project was instigated to support independent Queensland artists and theatre-makers giving them a space in the indie venue of Diane Cilento Studio to try out grass roots theatre. It offers a marvellous opportunity for small, independent collectives to reimagine old works or offer new, raw and challenging ones. Nest Ensemble is one of the 2024 collectives and is utilising the venue to stage its most recent original work, Wanderings.
Founded in 2004 in Brisbane by Margi Brown Ash and Leah Mercer, two of the co-writers of Wanderings, Nest Ensemble has a solid track record in exploring relevant and socially transformative work.
Wanderings takes as its central premise an examination of two under-represented and often misunderstood communities – our ageing population and those from a LGBTQI + background, particularly transgender people.
Nest Ensemble’s team have their own personal experiences in this regard. Zac Callaghan is a trans queer person whose mother lives with dementia, while his father has transitioned into aged care. Brown Ash is the mother of a trans masculine son and Mercer’s mother is also living with dementia. So, the writing of this play was informed by very real lived experiences over a three-year creative development process.
In exploring these societal issues, Nest Ensemble discovered that dementia is the leading cause of death for women in Australia and that millions of people care for a loved one who has been diagnosed with the disease. It is also something that we prefer not to talk about. Current statistics show that our society still stigmatises transgender people, who experience discrimination, violence and often a lack of family support. Relevant, socially pertinent issues.
The story revolves around Stella (Brown Ash) who is suffering from dementia and is no longer able to look after herself. Her transgender adult son, Kidd (Callaghan) is attempting to help her transition from the family home into an aged care facility, but she is resisting change. We meet Stella first on her new tricycle, which Kidd has bought her, as she can no longer drive. She forgets things and writes Post-it notes to remind herself of what she must do. We see a strong, vibrant personality, attempting to fight what is happening to her and fearful that Kidd wants her dead. In reality he is doing his best to help, while also struggling to create his own newfound life with a partner and dogs.
Rozina Suliman has designed a simple box set on an angle with bright, colourful wall hangings and the paraphernalia of a life well lived, with Stella’s plants and a favourite chair. There are some good lighting and sound effects from Freddy Komp and The Joy Dispensary respectively, with a particularly effective thunderstorm mirroring the dramas taking place between mother and son. Post-it notes are also used to cleverly project dates on the wall denoting the passage of time.
In the midst of trying to clean up and throw out, Kidd and Stella discover items from their younger lives, when Kidd was a girl, JJ (Jessie-Joy), which leads to discussion about his twin sister Erin, who is now a stranger to them both. Meanwhile, Stella, who we learn was a writer, finds an old typewriter that brings memories flooding back.
The story is well written, nicely paced with fun, light touches and moves from tender scenes where they enjoy Russian Caravan tea and scones with ‘cloud’ cream to family squabbles about what to pack up and what to throw away. They both speak directly to the audience with their own thoughts, often contradicting each other, which is a nice touch. There are endless debates about filling in necessary forms, which Stella will have none of, followed by many episodes where she gets lost or disappears. It leads to one enormous blow-up between them as Kidd tries also to establish his own identity and his mum keeps forgetting who he is.
Once the move to the aged care facility takes place, the dynamic changes for them both. After an initial attempt to return home, Stella’s decline prevents her from communicating as she becomes confined to bed. An all-too-familiar story.
As Stella, Brown Ash gives an excellent, compassionate and deeply moving performance, understanding all the nuances of the character and her quirky personality. There is much humour and references to Irish literature and mythology from the Stella we first meet, but over years she becomes more sedentary and withdrawn. The decline is all too real. The play also includes some first-rate voiceovers of Stella’s inner thoughts, which are intelligent and well-crafted in her beautifully articulated and modulated voice.
As Kidd, Callaghan gives an empathetic and exasperated performance of a decent man doing his best to look after his mum, who we understand had clearly been a great help when he transitioned from being female. Callaghan has a very soft speaking voice, however, and does not project well, even in such a small theatre space, so that it is difficult at times to understand his dialogue and some of what he says may be missed.
The play thus appears skewed towards being mostly about dementia and only marginally about being transgender, which is disappointing. A better balance of the two under-represented communities would have been very welcome.
Read: Book review: Rapture, Emily Maguire
Nevertheless, Wanderings is an important work, exploring issues that maybe we prefer to ignore. With some tweaking and perhaps more explanation of what it means and feels like to be transgender, it certainly deserves to be seen by a wider audience. The characters who are represented here will hopefully encourage further debate and a more compassionate understanding of these issues.
Wanderings
Presented by The Nest Ensemble
Diane Cilento Studio, Queensland Theatre, Brisbane
by Margi Brown Ash, Zac Callaghan and Leah Mercer
Co-writer and Performer: Margi Brown Ash
Co-writer/Performer/Producer: Zac Callaghan
Sound Designer/Co-writer/Director/Producer: Leah Mercer
Designer: Rozine Suliman
Lighting/Projection Designer: Freddy Komp
Sound Designer: The Joy Dispensary (Zac Callaghan, Olivia Cosham)
Stage Manager/Operator: Sarah Connolly
Wanderings will be performed until 14 December 2024.
