{"id":169774,"date":"2026-04-25T09:23:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T23:23:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/?p=169774"},"modified":"2026-04-25T09:23:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T23:23:49","slug":"mara-at-theatre-works-theatre-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/mara-at-theatre-works-theatre-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Mara, at Theatre Works – theatre review"},"content":{"rendered":"

I couldn\u2019t be more excited about a new work, which is really something special. This is the Cinderella story like you have never seen it before \u2013 taken from the stepmother\u2019s perspective. She didn\u2019t exactly have the perfect upbringing. Bad things happened to her. She tried to turn things around. For a while it looked like she had, but then jealousy and paranoia got in the way, which sealed her fate.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Photos (except that of Ania Reynolds) by Sarah Clarke<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The idea for Mara took shape in a conversation that playwright Hanna Pyliotis had with a friend. The Australian had been working with fairytales since moving to France more than 20 years ago. Being a stepmother herself enabled her impetus to turn to the bad rap the stepmum in Cinderella had. So here we have a new narrative with free-flowing music to tell the real story.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mara\u2019s father walks out on her hardworking mother and her. Her mother isn\u2019t kind to Mara and derides her choices, which include \u201cdevouring\u201d books and learning other languages. Against her mother\u2019s advice, Mara marries a horse and cart driver, with whom she has two children, daughters Eliza and Lena. Then, a tragic accident claims Mara\u2019s husband\u2019s life, and she and the young girls move back in with her mother, until an opportunity to better herself arises.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

With a heavy heart, she leaves Eliza and Lena with her mother to become tutor to the daughter of a well-to-do family, living in a beautiful \u201cdoll\u2019s house\u201d. Annabelle Harrison is a socialite, whose husband, Nathan, is a sailor, and their daughter, Ashlyn, immediately takes to Mara. Mind you, the housekeeper, Jane, with whom Mara shares a room in the basement, does not. Jane warns Mara to mind her place.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It is after Mara rescues Ashlyn in a storm that she tries to capitalise on Annabelle\u2019s gratitude, but oversteps the mark. Still, the real start of Mara\u2019s demise comes after she seizes the day, following Annabelle\u2019s untimely death, marrying Nathan. Ashlyn\u2019s attitude towards Mara shifts. Ashlyn calls her \u201cStep\u201d, even after Mara moves Eliza and Lena into the doll\u2019s house.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mara, the musical play, is a searing conflagration of hope and hopelessness. It is about attitude and class, persistence and pain. A recurring image of Mara and her family\u2019s unseemly \u201ctoad\u2019s feet\u201d, like those drawn from a swamp, as distinct from Ashlyn\u2019s delicate tootsies, persists. Mara is a glorious reimagining of the Cinderella story.<\/p>\n

Bravo to Hanna Pyliotis for crafting and composing such compelling prose and music with poise and alacrity. In an inspired, bravura showing, performer Aurora Kurth plays all the roles, switching seamlessly from one to another, and singing all the songs. Her vocal range and strength are quite something to behold \u2013 melodic, lyrical, superlative. Put simply, I am in awe of her talents. On stage throughout, she brings distinct personalities to each of the characters, changing costumes as the script calls for it, without missing a beat.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The original, mood defining music, arranged and magnificently played by Ania Reynolds in striking circus attire, is also triumphant. Ania is the consummate professional who brings passion and enthusiasm to bear from when we first encounter her at the keyboard, as we enter the theatre. So it is that I was utterly captivated by Mara, which will undoubtedly go down as one of the finds of the year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Director and set designer Megan Jones is enthralling with her artistry too, doing much with little in an evocative set divided into three. Think circus, desk and spiral staircase with chandelier. Visual imagery, a heady mix of monochromatic and colour photography, and video on a giant canvas backdrop at the back of the stage, enhance and enliven the offering. Jacques Cooney Adlard is the vision designer.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The costuming is a further source of situation and place, be it a simple black slip, a plain, shapeless, working dress, an elegant green number or a glorious red gown. The soundscape and lighting design help catapult us into a world of make believe that feels oh so real.<\/p>\n

I remained intrigued and dismayed throughout, yearning to hear, see and learn more about the grand adventures of Mara, whose life is hardly a bed of roses. I felt like a wide-eyed child again. I was deeply moved by the magic of storytelling, spoken and sung with such distinction. Eighty minutes without interval Mara is a glorious production on at Theatre Works until 2nd May, 2026.<\/p>\n

Alex First<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I couldn\u2019t be more excited about a new work, which is really something special. This is the Cinderella story like you have never seen it before \u2013 taken from the stepmother\u2019s perspective. She didn\u2019t exactly have the perfect upbringing. Bad things happened to her. She tried to turn things around. For a while it looked…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":169777,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[804,801],"tags":[11523,11240,7555,11522,11521,1354],"class_list":["post-169774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","category-theatre","tag-ania-reynolds","tag-aurora-kurth","tag-cinderella","tag-hanna-pyliotis","tag-mara","tag-theatre-works"],"yoast_head":"\nMara, at Theatre Works - theatre review -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/mara-at-theatre-works-theatre-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mara, at Theatre Works - theatre review -\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I couldn\u2019t be more excited about a new work, which is really something special. 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Anna Louizos\u2019 set design is superb, featuring slick transitions through scenes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Theatre"","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/rsz_290127123_567459774832075_3784327073754589974_n.jpg?fit=800%2C530&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/rsz_290127123_567459774832075_3784327073754589974_n.jpg?fit=800%2C530&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/rsz_290127123_567459774832075_3784327073754589974_n.jpg?fit=800%2C530&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/rsz_290127123_567459774832075_3784327073754589974_n.jpg?fit=800%2C530&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":147218,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/midnight-the-cinderella-musical-comedy-theatre-musical-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":169774,"position":2},"title":"Midnight, The Cinderella Musical (Comedy Theatre) – musical review","author":"Alex First","date":"June 26, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Cinderella, like you have never seen her before.\u00a0She\u2019s an activist who refuses to be pushed around.\u00a0She has strong views about the crown and its lack of action in addressing the needs of the people who are struggling to make ends meet.\u00a0She is out to change that narrative.\u00a0While all this seems\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Music"","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/rsz_midnightmusical_photopiajohnson_784.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/rsz_midnightmusical_photopiajohnson_784.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/rsz_midnightmusical_photopiajohnson_784.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/rsz_midnightmusical_photopiajohnson_784.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":148962,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/monument-red-stitch-actors-theatre-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":169774,"position":3},"title":"Monument (Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre) – theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"August 17, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"An unexpected power play between an about to be anointed Prime Minister and a make-up artist readying her to take office is at the heart of Monument.\u00a0Edith Aldridge (Sarah Sutherland) has been elected in a landslide to lead the nation.\u00a0As the country\u2019s youngest ever female PM, she is about assume\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Theatre"","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/rsz__dsc1414_.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/rsz__dsc1414_.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/rsz__dsc1414_.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/rsz__dsc1414_.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8799,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/robot-song-arena-theatre-company-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":169774,"position":4},"title":"Robot Song (Arena Theatre Company) – theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"April 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Robot Song is an energetic, highly creative new work from Arena Theatre Company - and specifically writer, director and designer Jolyon James. What a wild ride it is, but one well worth taking. The love and laughter in the room on opening night were infectious. Eleven year-old Juniper May (Ashlea\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Theatre"","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Robot-Song-03.jpg?fit=900%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Robot-Song-03.jpg?fit=900%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Robot-Song-03.jpg?fit=900%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Robot-Song-03.jpg?fit=900%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":160336,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/grimm-shake-stir-theatre-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":169774,"position":5},"title":"GRIMM (Shake & Stir Theatre) \u2013 theatre review","author":"Sarah Skubala","date":"September 8, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"If there\u2019s one takeaway to be had from this review of Shake & Stir\u2019s GRIMM, it\u2019s this: parents, leave the kiddies at home; this one is not for them. Treat yourself to a night off and bring the girlfriends along instead. Officially, GRIMM is advertised for ages 14 and above,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Theatre"","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/GRIMM-03.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/GRIMM-03.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/GRIMM-03.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/GRIMM-03.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=169774"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169774\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/169777"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=169774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=169774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=169774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}