David Fa'auliuli Mamea's one-woman play (very capably supported by puppeteered chicken) is a charming chamber production.
Still Life With Chickens offers a glimpse into the life of Mama, an ageing Samoan woman who fights off loneliness with a few simple strategies: talking to her deceased cat, warding off her nosy neighbour's attempts at pumpkin-thieving and rebutting her husband's incessant food-centric demands with wifely humour.
But Mama needs something more. She needs something to love, something alive and preferably something that won't talk back to her. Enter Moa, a homeless chicken that, after narrowly missing the pot, finds a home in the heart of an old lady.
Mamea's writing is lyrical and insightful and his portrayal of Mama is both familiar and touching. Goretti Chadwick is a wonderful comedian and her performance gives life to a strikingly familiar character, not necessarily for the details of her journey but for the empathy she arouses.
Her co-star, Moa, is masterfully puppeteered by Haanz Fa'avae-Jackson, a vocal expert whose dextrous abilities will, no doubt, take this supporting chicken to great heights.
