Carriage of Mother

A chaotic, feverish rendering of a classic text, Carriage of Mother kicks off Programme 1 of the 11-minute epic series, brilliantly.

Performed by Sue Pam-Grant and Khutjo Green, Carriage of Mother takes place in the trenches of the contemporary world, placing woman at the heart of war. Gender, class, identity, and interdependence are the key themes that are unpacked, touched upon, and swiftly swept aside in these frantic 11 minutes.

Throughout it all, Pam-Grant and Green are taking turns on a low and nearly non-existent pedestal to air their grievances. “I’ve got a complaint!” they bat back and forth. Around them, in neat piles, are items of clothing which they proceed to dress themselves in over the course of the performance. The clothing grows heavy on their bodies and heaviness, of course, is an enduring metaphor – the weight of the complaint, the weight of womanhood.

But Carriage of Mother, despite its thematic heft, is not without humour. Green and Pam-Grant have a brilliant rapport and manage to oscillate between mirth and somberness with ease. Ultimately, Carriage of Mother is an 11-minute lesson in getting by. Death, humility, sincerity, contentment – none of these things matter. How can they, when the struggles of the past and the present continue to drop like bombs all around us?

DEVISED BY | Phala O. Phala | Khutjo Green | Sue Pam-Grant
DIRECTED BY | Phala O. Phala
MOVEMENT DIRECTION BY | Sylvaine Strike
PERFORMED BY | Khutjo Green | Sue Pam-Grant

WRITER | Dave Mann
VIDEO ENGINEER & EDITOR | Noah Cohen
STILLS PHOTOGRAPHER | Nina Lieska