"See You Later Mum" - a play playing on your heartstrings

May 15, 2025

Mother's Day would be the perfect time to sit down and watch a play about the relationships between mothers, their children and grandchildren.

This Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11, gave everyone in Oberon an opportunity to see a performance of "See You Later Mum", a play by Christine Firkin with songs composed by Kay Proudlove. The play was directed by Brent Thorpe and came to Oberon via the Edinburgh Festival among other places.

It tells the story of three generations and deals with challenges of motherhood, including separation both by geography and death. The play starts off with Dotty and her daughter Jennifer as Jennifer prepares to migrate to Australia, then moves seamlessly across Jennifer's marriage and the birth of her daughter Sophie and ends with Jennifer and Sophie looking at their separation. It begins in Northern England in 1965 when Jennifer migrates to Australia, leaving Dotty behind on her own, ending with Jennifer having the last goodbye to Sophie.

Remarkably, this is done with only two actors, leaving the audience to follow the changes.

• Dotty, Jennifer's mother, is played by Christine Firkin
• Jennifer aged 25-40 is played by Kay Proudlove
• Jennifer aged 45-61 - Christine
• Sophie - Kay

The story is enhanced by original songs sung by both actors

As well as the clever weaving of characters across generations, the play has a great emotional impact as it reminds us of the links through family and the inevitability of loss. If you see it being performed elsewhere, grab yourself a ticket. You won't be disappointed (but have a hanky and a box of tissues handy).

Once again the Malachi has brought something very different and entertaining to Oberon, and Lucy and Johnny East have to be thanked for their contribution to the town's life and thinking.

The show was supported by a grant from Live Music Australia to help with "Equipment, professional development, artist fees, marketing and production costs to support original Australian live music at Malachi Gilmore Hall, Oberon".

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