Mama Does Derby

By Clare Watson & Virginia Gay

Director Clare Watson

Windmill Production Company

Sydney Town Hall until January 22

Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP

Theatre Review - Mama Does Derby

If you’re tempted to see Mama Does Derby at the Sydney Town Hall, don't expect to see any of the performers emulating Ralphie Valladares, Ann Calvello, Ronnie Rains or anyone else you saw in The Roller Game decades ago. This is a roller derby themed play, with music, about a mother and daughter relationship. It's set on a flat oval track and skaters from various roller derby leagues are used to move the pieces of the set on, off and around the floor. 

It looked like the two leads are the ones with acting experience. Elvy-Lee Quici plays Billie, the troubled daughter who has some mental issues, and Amber McMahon carries the rest of the cast as Mama. The demon character is quite interesting.

Like the roller derby, the three band members seemed to be in a race to see who could finish first.

Again, if you’re attracted to this production because of the title and the photo on the poster, you will be disappointed because the actual skating accounts for barely six minutes of the 100 minute play. 

Apart from the leads, the acting, the script, the music, the singing and the production values are of consistent standard. 

It was a clever move to involve people from the roller derby community because it gives them a chance to promote their sport and they all have friends and relatives who would purchase tickets to the production. Many of those friends and relatives seemed to be at the performance that I attended. It wasn’t your normal theatre crowd.