18 October

At the Wardrobe Theatre, Mad Women—directed by Chilean playwright Constanza Hola Chamy—pushes the boundaries of traditional theatre, delivering a bold and unfiltered portrayal of mental health, womanhood, and creative expression. Inspired by the lives of three iconic Latin American artists—Frida Kahlo, Violeta Parra, and Judith Marquez—the play uses intertwined monologues to delve into the inner worlds of these brilliant women, all of whom lived with bipolar disorder. What sets Mad Women apart is not only its subject matter but also the innovative creative process behind it.

The play was developed through an ACE-funded Research & Development process, which included workshops with underserved and underrepresented women who have lived experience with mental health challenges. These workshops, hosted by St Margaret’s House, were integral to shaping the text and themes, making the production not just a piece of theatre, but an inclusive, community-led experiment in storytelling. The cast on stage is drawn from this community, with emerging artists performing alongside professional actors, each bringing their personal truths to the roles they embody. Each character is performed with depth and sensitivity, revealing the contradictions that shaped these women’s lives and art.

Constanza Hola Chamy’s portrayal of Violeta Parra stands out, particularly through her evocative singing, which serves as an emotional thread throughout the performance. Her voice captures Parra’s internal struggles, infusing the narrative with a deep sense of pain, resilience, and creativity.

Maria Frangeskou offers a vibrant and complex portrayal of Frida Kahlo’s queerness and her struggle with physical pain. Her moments of exuberance are performed with defiant energy, juxtaposed with her vulnerability, making her character feel deeply personal and immediate.

Judith Marquez’s character, performed with palpable frustration and ambition by Basia Talago-Jones speaks to the struggles of a creative woman in a male-dominated world. Her portrayal captures Marquez’s internal battle between societal expectations and her drive to be recognized as an artist. The performance balances moments of quiet introspection with the rage of being constrained by these external forces.

The minimalist set, paired with Iván Mancilla’s live guitar accompaniment, enhances the emotional atmosphere of the play. Mancilla’s music acts as a subtle but powerful emotional undercurrent, reflecting the characters’ inner turmoil and adding depth to their stories. The simplicity of the set keeps the focus squarely on the performers, allowing the emotional intensity of the monologues to shine through.

The play’s fragmented structure mirrors the unpredictable nature of living with mental illness, and the cast navigates this chaos with sincerity and conviction.  What makes Mad Women truly special is its refusal to sanitise or simplify the complexities of these women’s lives. Instead, it offers a deeply human portrayal of their struggles, presenting mental illness as part of a broader story about identity, creativity, and survival.

★★★★☆  Tilly Marshall, 19 October 2024