BETTY by Jules Allen
★★★★ “An in-depth and intimate mother/daughter tale that deftly balances grief and love.” - ArtsHub
BETTY is a harrowing and heartfelt exploration of dementia through a complex mother/daughter relationship, challenged by cultural clashes and long-buried secrets. Though it explores hard-hitting subject matter, BETTY is unapologetic, candid, and incredibly humorous; its hilarity adding a much-needed contrast to the weight of loss and tragedy.
Although never close, expat Lucy returns home to care for her ailing mother, Rose, and is launched headfirst into the unfiltered reality of her mother’s dementia. Rose’s vivid memories of her home country Thailand and the horror of her exile find their way into her suburban Melbourne nursing home, and the boundaries between past, present, living and spiritual unravel.
As the fabric of Lucy and Rose’s fraught relationship is smashed open, Rose's rapid decline places a sense of urgency on the many unanswered questions of the past. Inherited family trauma, cultural assimilation, loneliness, abuse, blame and misunderstanding are all laid bare.
Interesting and gripping. Both Characters were relatable and the story was fast paced. Great night out.