Set in 1999 in the lead up to the millennium, Me, My Mother and Suzy Cato is comedic story about Rachel, a 17 year old girl coming of age as the millennium approaches.
She’s full of teenage angst and her parents just don’t understand. Dad is a controlling new-age demagogue and doomsday prepper who sees the corporate world as the enemy and is convinced Y2K will destroy humanity. He’s spending his spare time building a bunker in the front garden where he and his family can escape when all hell breaks loose. Rachel’s mother is equally controlling and shares way too much of her troubles with her daughter and is desperate for her to remain at home even when she goes off to university.
But of course, Rachel wants to chart her own course. She’s interested in parties and concerts and boys, well one particular boy – Matt A, a christian nerd she eventually gets to kiss.
With all this going on, and not listened to by her parents, Rachel starts writing to children’s TV host Suzy Cato seeking advice and explaining her many problems. She knows she’s a bit old to be seeking solace from someone whose target demographic is toddlers, but Cato seems kind and sweet, and most importantly, stable.
This is a one-person show starring Florence Hartigan who is an absolute delight, She is funny and charming and portrays a range of characters extremely well. Her Rachel is totally relatable, and she gives a spot on portrayal of Suzy Cato, who, incidentally was in the audience watching the show. I did wonder what she might have thought about how she was portrayed, I hope she was flattered.
The show delivered a lot of laughs, and very good depictions and satire of the culture and technology of the late 1990s. Hartigan delivered a very watchable show that was hilarious and at times moving and poignant.
Me, My Mother and Suzy Cato – Florence Hartigan
Auckland
Dates: Thu 8 – Sat 10 May, 8.30pm
Venue: Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre, 50 Mayoral Drive
Tickets: $30 – $35
Bookings: aucklandlive.co.nz // 0800 111 999
Wellington
Dates: Tue 20 – Sat 24 May, 8.30pm
Venue: The Dome at BATS Theatre, 1 Kent Terrace
Tickets: $25 – $30
Bookings: bats.co.nz // 0508 ITICKET (484 253)
