Brecht once said, “In the dark times, will there also be singing? Yes, there will be singing. About the dark times.” This must have been the inspiration for A Mother, a truly amusing collection of heartfelt life snippets by writer Neena Beber, co-conceived with actress Jessica Hecht, now playing at Baryshnikov Arts. It is not mere storytelling; there is a lot of disco dancing, synchronized swimming, social awareness, and chicken soup. Aside from Beber’s clever writing and the talented cast, director Maria Mileaf, choreographer Shura Baryshnikov and musical director Mustapha Khan made sure to thread the story with vibrant stitches that keeps the audience attentive and amused.
Jessica Hecht
It’s December 1979 and Jess, the protagonist, played by an exceptional Hecht, is visiting her grandparents on Miami Beach for Christmas break where she meets Daryl, an amiable Fergie Philippe, and falls in love. She is 15, he is 17. He makes homemade mixed cassette tapes for her, she gives him her first kiss, but it’s time to say goodbye to the ‘70s and welcome in the dazzling ‘80s. In Spring, she is sent to theater camp in Camp Shalom Aleichem in Connecticut, where a cast of four campers are supposed to rehearse for the musical Paint Your Wagon, but the manic young counselor/director, played by a truly dynamic Delilah Napier, insists on using Brechtian techniques and inserts scenes of Brecht’s The Mother in the musical. She is 20 and dropped out of college to live in Berlin doing puppet shows in a park before landing this job.
The Cast of The Mother
Brecht’s epic theatre—the alienation effect, the non-realistic set design, the direct address—are already in this comedy so it is time to introduce the German playwright’s use of political themes as a tool for social critique and change. Jess’s silly teenage memories are woven with the life of Arthur McDuffie, an African-American insurance salesman and former U.S. Marine, beaten to death by four police officers. While Jess is playing Brecht’s Mother, Pelagea, in the camp rehearsal, the acquittal of the four officers by an all-white jury sparks the 1980 Miami riots. Portia, as Eula Bell McDuffie, Arthur’s mom, gives us a reality pinch.
Jessica Hecht and Fergie Philippe
The cast of five, including Zane Pais who plays seven different characters, is undeniably talented even if, at tonight’s opening, they are not a well-oiled machine yet. Their professionalism is unquestionable. Set design by Neil Patel is intentionally bare, exposed, to remind the audience that we are, in fact, watching a performance, while Matthew Richards’ light design and Katherine Roth’s costumes bring a touch of realism as constant reminders of the late 70s and early 80s. The music, performed live and delivered effortlessly by composers Norman Burns and Kenny Vaughan, adds an extra whimsical layer complementing the story. A Mother is an homage to Brecht, but it’s mostly an entertaining collage of life stories that successfully blends humor, tragedy, and social awareness. If you don’t go see it, you will miss the spiritual Wade in the Water mixed with Kaddish and the hysterical water ballet—ways to sing in these dark times about our dark times.
The Cast of The Mother
photos by Maria Baranova
A Mother
Baryshnikov Arts Center, Jerome Robbins Theater, 450 W. 37th St
100 minutes, no intermission
ends on April 13, 2025
for tickets ($55 to $75), visit Baryshnikov Arts
