Never did I think I’d walk into the Sydney Town Hall, one of the city’s most historic buildings, at 136 years old, to hear the blaring lyrics of ‘Von Dutch’ by Charli XCX, but hey, that’s Sydney Festival for you.
Even better? The song was accompanied by the moves of a roller derby team, who were dancing along to the track in full gear, skates and all.
It’s the world premiere of Mama Does Derby tonight, a show commissioned by Sydney Festival, created by talented duo Clare Watson and Virginia Gay. Not only has Mama Does Derby been one of the most talked-about shows of Sydney Festival, but it’s also had an additional show added to its run, due to popular demand.
The show follows a single mum and a teenage daughter as they navigate a new life in a regional town. The 16-year-old Bilie (Elvy-Lee Quici) is working through the chaos of adolescence, while her Mum (Amber McMahon) is spinning into something new herself: the chaotic, rough, and radical world of roller derby.
Gay tells us that the show explores that moment when “your parents stop being your heroes, and start being your triggers, and how you navigate that and come back from that.”
Why roller derby?
You’re probably wondering, why roller derby?
Director and co-creator Clare Watson attended her first roller derby in 2009 and fell in love with the sport, calling her first experience there “one of the most thrilling nights of my life”. She began beginner’s training with the Victorian Roller Derby League, and often brought along her six-year-old daughter, Ivy.
Watson began training in roller derby, but didn’t end up competing, so Mama Does Derby marks a return to the sport for her.
The story is deeply personal to Watson, and as a single parent who has spent significant time in rural Australia, much of her own lived experience informs the show. We’re also told that the show is “designed to bring your teen”, with Watson telling The Australian that it’s like a “Gilmore Girls on skates”, exploring that often complex mother-daughter relationship.
Roller derby proves to be the perfect metaphor for this relationship, with the show focusing on resilience, reinvention and the relentless cycle of getting knocked down, but always getting back up, a theme continuously reflected on the track.
What to expect
Gay tells us, “It’s 90 minutes long, it has a live band, it has 10 real dirty skaters. Honestly, I’m not sure that we can pack anything more into this, except that we did“.
The roller derby track wraps around a stage with a live band set up in the middle. The excerpt we saw featured the drummer shouting “Weelllcoomeee to Roller Derby!” before introducing the team of skaters, with incredible names including “Hulk Bogan”.
There will be 10 skaters (ranging from the ages of 20 to 50) on stage during the show; however, across the season, a pool of twenty will take to the stage. The skaters are from the Inner West Roller Derby League, with some players from Sydney Roller Derby League, Northern Beaches Roller Derby League, Varsity Derby League, Canberra Roller Derby and Gender Ending Story.
The skaters are fearless as they whizz around the track, and there are a few stacks here and there, which is part of the show. Luckily, most of the cast are real roller derby skaters, so the demanding physicality and high pressure of skating around the small Town Hall track doesn’t seem to faze them.
We’re also told by Sydney Festival Director Kris Nelson that Mama Does Derby is actually “comedy horror”, packed with “deliciously creepy nods to horror films”. Apparently, there’s a nightmare sequence in the show, which is no doubt where some of these horror references will sneak into the performance.
Mama Does Derby
Where: Sydney Town Hall, 483 George St, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: January 15-22.
Price: From $44 plus booking fee. Purchase your tickets here.
