STUCK, at La Mama

One has been there and done that, knows which way is up and is stuck in her ways.

The other has the world at her feet. She has plans to forge ahead with life and make the most of it.

They are known as Old One (Caroline Lee) and Young One (Eva Seymour).

Photos by Darren Gill

Young One takes a job on the deli counter at a supermarket, intending to stay no longer than six months, but Old One is sceptical.

Addressed by Old One as “good for nothin’” and “freshman”, she is immediately told how to do things – for example, how to cut salami.

The refrigerator is on the fritz and it is freezing cold, but Old One shows no signs of wanting to address the issue.

She tells Young One to quit whinging.

Old One had four children, but they have long since left and her husband also walked out on her. 

Then, suddenly, Young One’s plans to embrace life and all that it has to offer are derailed when, much to her chagrin, she finds out she is pregnant.

Now, she, too, appears to be stuck. 

But, she is not the only one to whom something happens unexpectedly, as Old One is also thrown a dramatic curve ball.

For Young One, six months turns into 12 and then what? Does her positive outlook remain or is she destined to go down the same route as Old One.

The brainchild of writer Megan Twycross, whom I commend, her inspiration was reality.

As she explains in the program notes, each week she would do her shopping at the local Woolworths.

She watched one young woman become increasingly passive, letting go of her ambitions and becoming content with her lot. 

STUCK asks why do women pull other women down? How are they shaped by class expectations? Why is motherhood idealised? How can we change the story for the next generation of young women?

The work goes to the heart of what it means to be a female living in a patriarchal world. It deals with the trappings of class and internalised misogyny. 

The play also draws on Twycross’ experience after having two children. 

That made her acutely aware of what financial dependence can feel like and how strongly women are shaped by the stories and expectations they grow up with.

In other words, what is the cost of motherhood? 

As director Susie Dee adds, STUCK challenges the idea of complacency and the notion of choice.

It is so good to see such rich performances up close and personal, which is exactly what the small theatre that is the cornerstone of La Mama offers.

There is confidence, understanding and aptitude in the way Caroline Lee and Eva Seymour approach their roles.

Lee brings cynicism to her portrayal of Old One, while Seymour is distinguished by her openness.

I had the sense that Old One had been worn down and was defined by her job, which is all that was left.

Young One, on the other hand, retained her spark, notwithstanding her travails.

Aided by a potent, minimalistic set design and most impactful lighting and sound, I found STUCK confronting and powerful.

Set and costume designer Lindy Macauley has given us industrial strength, clear strip curtaining, fluoro lighting and two stainless steel benches on wheels.

This, on black and white vinyl flooring, with the addition of a silver customer call bell. 

That is all, but in the context of what takes place, it says so much.

Scenes are cleverly broken up by the sound of white fluorescent tube lighting that flickers.

The sound designer is Ian Moorhead, while Amelia Lever-Davidson and Spencer Herd are responsible for the lighting design.

Director Dee has channelled her energy into delivering a crisp portrayal of a stand-off with surprises.

At one-hour, STUCK is compelling theatre, which is playing at La Mama until 24^th May, 2026.