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MENTAL - The Motherload

MENTAL - The Motherload

MENTAL - The Motherload is an ongoing multi outcome arts project connecting, validating and empowering mothers as we dig into the experience of the 'mental load' of motherhood.  Birthed in 2018 the project has involved hundreds of mothers of all ages and stages of motherhood across lutruwita / Tasmania, Australia and the world through workshops, online creative encounters, open rehearsals, live performances and short films.

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The MENTAL – The Motherload creators are:

Julie Waddington, Carrie McLean, Bryony Geeves, Melissa King and Rebecca Thomson. 

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LIVE WORK

The Motherload is an interactive live gameshow where two teams compete for the crown of Ultimate Queen Mumm! It premiered at the Junction Arts Festival, Launceston in 2021 and is touring lutruwita/Tasmanian in 2023. more details>>

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"The three performers are buoyant, joyous, spontaneous, clever, resourceful … perfect, in fact. 

As directed by Julie Waddington, the show is intelligent, generous, warm and laugh-out-loud funny.

Its serious moments are sincere without being cloying."

Robert Jarman.  read the full review>>

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FILMS

The Motherload Films is our creative documentary web series exploring the messy, mundane and magical mental load of motherhood is being released online for all to enjoy through May and June 2022. Follow our FB page to see them first. And find them here>> as they are released.

 

Our future plans involve touring our live performance and films to communities across regional Tasmania in 2023 and then Australia. Everywhere we tour we aim to connect with mummas through workshops, sharing stories and making crowns!

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never.the.less productions

The Motherload is the first production of never.the.less, a new production group founded by director and producer Julie Waddington. never.the.less productions is inspired by and seeks to tell stories of resilience, perseverance, drive, strength, boundaries, empathy, inspiration and hope.

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Gestation - The Motherload Films
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Gestation - The Motherload Films

The mental load of being a mumma starts well before the baby arrives…. What was some of the advice - good, bad and downright weird - that you got while you were expecting? We asked over 500 mothers this question and here are some of the responses received. Please feel welcome to add your own experience in the comments, share the video, roll your eyes, or have a wry chuckle. GESTATION is the first film in our film creative documentary series exploring the messy, mundane and magical mental load of motherhood. The Motherload Films were produced by never.the.less productions, assisted through Arts Tasmania by the Minister for the Arts and the Australian Government's Regional Arts Fund, which supports the arts in regional and remote Australia.
The Motherload - 2021 Live Performance Promo
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The Motherload - 2021 Live Performance Promo

The Motherload is a creative documentary performance exploring the beauty, grotesque and poetic in the madness and mundane of motherhood. Developed over several years in collaboration with mothers across Tasmania, the Motherload Collective present an interactive live gameshow: two teams compete for the crown of Ultimate Queen Mumma in a series of bizarre, boisterous and hilarious tasks torn from the very real experiences of motherhood throughout its stages, while the verbatim performances offset this riotous battle with poignancy, relief, and chaos. presented by never.the.less productions in association with the Tasmanian Theatre Company and Junction Arts Festival Concept and Direction by Julie Waddington created with Carrie McClean, Bryony Geeves, Melissa King and Rebecca Thompson Sound Design by Jacky Collyer Production Design by Ros Wren JUNCTION ARTS FESTIVAL - Launceston Thursday 2 - Saturday 4 September ​ PEACOCK THEATRE - nipaluna /Hobart Thursday 30 September - Saturday 2 October https://www.mentalthemotherload.com
MENTAL - The Motherload STAGE 2 FILM - out of the mouths of mummas
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MENTAL - The Motherload STAGE 2 FILM - out of the mouths of mummas

MENTAL - The Mother Load is a creative documentary performance exploring the beauty, grotesque and poetic in the madness and mundane of motherhood. Stage 2 of the project (2019) was broken into 3 parts, PD for the core team, a significant period of research and creative engagement with mothers online and in-person plus core team exploring research materials through a period of creative development towards a first draft performance framework. This video shares some of the many words shared with us by mothers through both online creative encounters and in-person workshops. Filmed and edited by Rebecca Thomson Performer - Carrie McLean Voice Performances - Bryony Geeves, Melissa King, Carrie McLean and Rebecca Thomson
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SUPPORT

The Motherload project has been assisted through Arts Tasmania by the Minister for the Arts, made possible by the Australian Government's Regional Arts Fund, which supports the arts in regional and remote Australia.

 

for full details of supporters and community partners >>

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We acknowledge all palawa pakana people, who have continuously practiced art and culture on this island for over fifty thousand years. Always was, always will be.

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