Review: MILK AND GALL by Mathilde Dratwa at Theatre503 2-27 November 2021

‘a quirky commentary on our contemporary world’ ★★★ ½

It’s 2016 and the evening of the US Presidential election. Trump Vs Clinton, an entrepreneurial TV personality vs the first female president in the US’s political history, an already pivotal historical moment made more so. A memorable night for many Americans, Mathilde Dratwa’s ‘Milk and Gall’ zones in on a young, metropolitan couple on the way to welcoming their first child into the world. The production an exploration of politics, motherhood, relationships and mental well-being.

Sound bites from the heated discussions and debates leading up to the final result form the production’s pre-show, the formality of this process married up with the clinical, hospital scenario initially established beautifully ties up the world of politics with the everyday. The unpredictability of giving birth interwoven with the drama of the presidential race via live phone updates draw audiences into the world of a family on the cusp of a life changing moment, on both a personal and wider level.

From here onwards, the evening proceeds to follow new mum Vera’s grappling of motherhood, and what this means for her, her husband Michael and the rest of their families. Vera, a Democrat hopeful for a brighter future for her child, we observe her, and husband Michael adapt to a new era of politics. Vera concerned for the social well-being of others, Michael determined to climb the career ladder and provide for the family.

Milk and Gall ambitiously sways between the mundane/everyday to the absurd, the show’s playful, non-conventional structure encapsulating Vera’s drained state of mind, the lack of sleep experienced placing her in a part aware, part sleep state - dream sequences a fascinating feature. Lisa Spirling directs a quirky commentary on our contemporary world, Dratwa’s observant script giving space to the motherhood experience, especially motherhood for the first time, which is very important.

MyAnna Buring’s socially aware Vera and Matt Whitchurch’s determined Michael are an endearing, authentic couple trying their best to ensure a secure future, both with differing ideologies on how to do so, yet in sync. Jenny Galloway doubling up as carefree Barbara (Vera’s mother) and Michael’s mother, an entertaining character.  Sherine Chalhie’s bubbly Amira livens up the space, a much needed support system to friend Vera and Tracy-Anne Green’s ethereal turn as Amazon’s Alexa intrigues - a source Vera turns to from time to time to seek guidance, a nod to our age of convenience and technological advancement.

Read our interview with director Lisa Spirling on the benefits of having her 3-month old in the rehearsal room while directing MILK AND GALL

MILK AND GALL

at Theatre503 from 2-27 November 2021

Box office: https://theatre503.com/whats-on/milk-and-gall/

ARTISTIC TEAM

WRITER Mathilde Dratwa

DIRECTOR Lisa Spirling

MOVEMENT DIRECTOR Chi-San Howard

DESIGNER Mona Camille

LIGHTING DESIGNER Simeon Miller

SOUND DESIGNER Roly Botha

PRODUCTION MANAGER Zara Janmohamed

CASTING DIRECTOR Amy Blair

COSTUME SUPERVISOR Malena Arcucci

ASSOCIATE MOVEMENT DIRECTOR Laura Dredger

ASSOCIATE LIGHTING DESIGNER Abi Turner

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Daisy Milner

STAGE MANAGER Rose Hockaday

CAST

VERA MyAnna Buring

AMIRA Sherine Chalhie

BARBARA Jenny Galloway

ALEXA Tracy-Anne Green

MICHAEL Matt Whitchurch

Reviewer: Lucy Basaba is founder of Theatre Full Stop which she has run for 8 years. She also runs the Theatre and Technology Awards and Pub Theatre Festival. She is a graduate from East 15 Drama school where she studied BA (Hons) World Performance.