MAM
Watch it here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIRarexalmA
MAM is suitable for a range of spaces; both indoor and public realm spaces, theatre stages, performance festivals, community centres, parks and shopping centres.
The solo is approx 55 mins long
MAM explores an experience of working-class motherhood with political candour and convention-defying dance. On the margins and in the thick of austerity, a pregnant woman struggles with the idea of becoming a mother. Decades later a son comes to terms with the family he belongs to. This hard hitting and epic solo work embodies both mother, son and the multiple persona’s of an entire community; it is a study of ordinary lives, extraordinary love, the gold, the rubbish and the inevitable shadows that lengthen across generations.
Concept Jen Malarkey
Choreographed & Directed by Jen Malarkey & Carl Harrison
Mam and Son Carl Harrison
Commissioned by Company Chameleon via UPLIFT, originally supported by Yorkshire Dance and Punchdrunk Theatre
Research from the National Institute of Health shows that motherhood is seen as both a gender-based obligation and a defining aspect of identity. Motherhood ideology is linked to lower self-efficacy, high stress levels, parental exhaustion, depression, reduced life satisfaction, low perceived family support and anxiety. MAM will draw on this research to deliver compelling work for all of us who “mother.”
I really loved what I saw, loved the movement, choreography and the pathos. Really loved the energy, the characterisation and the music, it made me think of mums, challenges, freedom and the determination to break free.
Punam Ramchurn, Talent Development Manager, Factory International
Through the characterisation you created a really engaging world. It was hard to look away even though sometimes you felt you should! There was humour but also a lot of sadness and anger bubbling under the surface. It could exist brilliantly in the public realm.
Louisa Borg-Costanzi Potts, Head of Programme, Artsadmin
My biggest take away was the use of sound and the absence of spoken text. I didn’t feel like anything was missing, Carl’s emoting and physicality were so strong that they told us everything we needed to know. It worked.
Gerrard Headley, Dancer with OD Works
I was at the Aerowaves meeting recently. Whilst MAM didn’t get into the top selection, it was discussed in the group stage and there was good interest in it - it was one of the top scoring UK applications.
Christina Elliot, Head of Programming & Producing, The Place, London
On Jen Malarkey
There is a real respect for the audience evidenced by Jen’s ability to reach out personally to engage with a community: knock on doors, get to know people, run workshops, create with children, handle the fragile and the intimidating with equal dexterity.
Jen has a readiness to own all aspects of her practice. No detail is too trivial: she cares as much about how the work is sold and shared as how it is made. She exhibits a palpable moral core in how she conducts her processes and manages working relationships.
Stuart Heyes, Associate Director, Fuel Theatre
Jen Malarkey is a rare artist; She works cross artform – she’s interested in movement led work that has text and spoken language at the heart of the storytelling. The two forms (physical and spoken) have equity in her work and align to create an often explosive practice. Louise Blackwell, Co-founder of Fuel.
Jen’s work really interests us. She combines text and movement with rare confidence, flair and skill. Her ideas are distinct and convincing.
Christina Elliot, Senior Producer, The Place
It’s not often that one encounters* work in theatre and performance that feels utterly distinctive. When you do, it leaps out. It didn’t look or sound like anything I was aware of being made in the UK. The choreography shifts between a consciously awkward mawkish physicality and a fluidity that has real beauty in it. It’s tender, clever, human and humane work.
Richard Gregory, Artistic Director, Quarantine