Although known largely for her comic roles, actress Jeni Hacker conveys anger, laughter and sadness as the quirky mother “Anne” in playwright Florian Zeller’s one act drama with comic overtones titled “The Mother”, running now through Sunday, Nov. 23 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami.
As “Anne”, Hacker is mesmerizing as being a happy, go lucky empty nest mother (on the surface) but is also resentful of her husband Pierre (played by actor Stephen G. Anthony) whom she suspects is having an extra-marital affair. Instead of accusing Pierre outwardly of holding a dark secret, Anne scolds Pierre with sarcastic humor at his expense, wondering why Pierre has to leave home so often to deliver his lectures out of town.
Anne (Jeni Hacker) confronts Pierre (Stephen G. Anthony) in a scene from “The Mother”, running now through Sunday, Nov. 23 at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami.
Anne also expresses love for her son Nicholas (actor Davis Parks) in many anecdotes that she discusses with Pierre. However, Nicholas, now a young adult of 23 years old who is romantically involved with a young woman (actress Allie Beltran), gets into a deep conflict with Anne because of his romantic relationship.
Anne despises Nicholas’s relationship, to the point that she never calls his girlfriend a name, referring to her as “the girl who is taking my son away from me”. Through intense scenes with both Nicholas and Pierre, the audience begins to wonder if Anne is experiencing the “empty nest syndrome” of expressing anger over a son becoming independent and a husband who she may have less in common with now than when they were both raising their children.
Anne(Jeni Hacker) talks with nicolas (Davis Parks) in a scene from “The Mother”, running now through Sunday, Nov. 23 at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown MiamI.
As the play reaches a climax regarding the views of reality expressed by all four characters, the audience sees Anne expressing a wide array of emotions as Nicholas, Pierre and “The Girl” cope with Anne’s yearning for a stable family life in a surprise ending.
Although all four actors were impressive, it is Jenni Hacker who is the heart and soul of the play through her acting. Along with the actors, credit director Stuart Meltzer (who is also Artistic Director of Zoetic Stage), scenic designer Jacob Brown, lighting designer Rebecca Montero and costume designer Laura Turnbull for providing the perfect staging effects for “The Mother”.
Actress Jeni Hacker stars in the one act drama “The Mother” by playwright Florian Zeller, presented by Zoetic Stage, running now through Sunday, November 23 at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in downtown Miami. Performances are on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with matinee shows on Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets range from $66.92-$72.64. For tickets, go to arshtcenter.org or call 305-949-6722.
