Drama between mother and daughter makes the stage

Posted on 26 October, 2022

Mother and daughter Karen and Natasha Vickery share a love of acting.

And shortly they will be sharing the stage.

Both are professionally trained actors, Karen from NIDA graduating in 1983, and Natasha graduating from WAAPA (Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts) five years ago. Both have worked in film, television and on stage throughout Australia, and both now live in Canberra.

The pair have come together professionally to form Chaika Theatre Company, as part of ACT Hub—the new home of independent theatre in Canberra, based at Causeway Hall in Kingston.

Their first work will be Collected Stories by Donald Margulies, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award

According to Karen “It’s a kind of All About Eve set in the literary world and a fascinating struggle between two powerful women who love each other”.

Inspired by a real case of plagiarism brought by a prominent poet against a novelist, Margulies was prompted to look at the life of a writer and examine what happens when you finally do trust someone enough to tell a personal story? If the one you share it with is also a writer, is it still your story? The audience is split and sometimes veers wildly from one point of view to another.

It’s a witty and tightly-focussed play in which the characters develop a powerful bond with one another as a fledgling writer becomes the personal assistant and student of a literary titan. Cracks appear as these two talented women navigate the shifting tides of acclaim and professional status.

Collected Stories is directed by Luke Rogers, Artistic Director and CEO of Canberra Youth Theatre, who said it was a thrill to direct the mother-daughter powerhouse and witness their dynamic in the rehearsal room.

Natasha and Karen Vickery have created Chaika Theatre Company.

“The roles of Ruth and Lisa may be teacher and student, but theirs is also an intense surrogate mother-daughter relationship; where the younger generation soon succeeds those that have nurtured and supported them.

As for working together, Karen said “there’s a wonderful communicative shorthand between the mother and daughter acting team. Natasha knows when what I’m doing isn’t truthful immediately! She’s my best critic and my biggest support as an artist.

“In some respects our characters mirror aspects of our relationship. I’m really messy and have piles of books and papers and things everywhere! Just like the character I’m playing. Filing system…nope! Whereas Natasha is organised and well-presented, just like the character she plays. We’ve had a lot of fun with these aspects of the play as Natasha’s character, Lisa, becomes Ruth’s personal assistant and tries to help sort things out much to Ruth’s horror.

Natasha said “Mum and I are very similar actors when it comes to focusing on the details…It isn’t always possible to achieve, because there’s always something new to find, but the best part of any acting role is finding the contrasting moments. A person is never exactly the same from one moment to another and we have lots of fun finding these moments!

Sometimes we can’t stop laughing, and sometimes we have no idea why! We just know each other too well.”

Natasha said the relationship in the play mirrored their relationship in many ways. “I’ve always looked up to mum as a performer and as my own personal acting teacher. I remember the first lesson she ever gave me: I was about six years old doing a short film. I told mum that I was meant to feel a number of different emotions in this one scene, but I didn’t know what face to make. She told me, ‘Just think the thoughts and your face will know what to do’. I’ve never forgotten that. I still remind myself to do it!”