Cynthia Hiu Ying Lam
St Hilda’s Collegiate
Love, Mum is a multimedia chronicle of Cynthia Hiu Ying Lam’s heritage, examined through the eyes of three generations — her mother, and two grandmothers.
Lam delivers cathartic spoken-word monologues, inviting the audience to glimpse into both her own and her family’s minds.
Depicting three people’s lives is no small feat, and this stream-of-consciousness approach was inviting and accessible to the audience.
Her anecdotal story-telling was also surprisingly funny when portraying her family’s idiosyncrasies, which was an unexpected delight.
As her unwavering gaze swept through the audience, I didn’t know whether she was gazing through a window to the audience or a mirror into her own past.
Clever and subtle techniques illustrated the transmission of intergenerational trauma.
At one point, a projection of flames morphed and expanded beyond the confines of the screen while the stage was bathed in purple.
A scene where a recording of Lam’s voice overlapped with her singing mother’s voice was especially poignant.
From the very start, the performance methodically laid the groundwork for themes of capitalism, gender inequality and colonialism.
Not only did this interlink the stories of each generation of mothers, but also wove the tapestry of Lam’s own story.
The payoff for this generational setup was incredibly rewarding, with the last fifteen minutes being the highlight of the performance for me.
These focused on Lam’s marriage, mental health, identity and the pains of simply having to exist as a woman.
Perspectives of the past became metaphors for the future as Lam carved out her own authentic, natural and hand-made identity.
Love, Mum is a tribute to our past selves while looking forward to the person we strive to become.
Review by Tim Scott
