★★★★1/2

Adelaide Fringe. Holden Street Theatres. The Arch. 18 Feb 2026 Media Day

 

Martha Lott pushes boundaries and pulls triggers in this extraordinary work of her own creation.

Her new play is nothing less than an act of bravery.

 

It presents a mother and daughter awaiting a school headmaster’s verdict on the choice of captain of the debating team. Tiger mum, Martha, has extremely high expectations of and for her brilliant daughter. Her main debating rival is a talented Chinese student called ChiChi and the competitive fear and loathing are eating into her.

 

Mum is a former debater who has worked as savvy political strategist, she simply cannot countenance that her daughter is closely challenged and she is consumed by indignation and cultural resentment.

 

Her outbursts of racial stereotyping are really confronting not only for the daughter but for the audience.

 

This is not the first play Lott has penned. That Boy was written around the theme of a divergent lad. So, Lott already has broken ground with daring scripts not to mention stupendous performances. 

 

When the daughter of The Debate is called in to see the headmaster, the vituperative mum is left alone in the waiting room. She vents even more spite in a fugue of restless, roaming fury. Therein she brags her power as a strategist. And therein ensues the grand denouement of the play.

 

The play begins with the two protagonists seated facing each other. Initially, the daughter is fairly monosyllabic and clearly used to her mother’s nagging dominance, Director Nick Fagan makes an odd directorial decision to keep her in profile throughout the first section of the play and, indeed, also at the brilliant climax when Amelia is carrying the action.

 

This city is familiar with the onstage power and brilliance of the award-winning Martha Lott and, indeed, she is extremely potent in this difficult role she has written for herself. There is a contextual incongruity, however, in the strident ‘Strine style of her delivery as a doyen of the debating culture. 

 

Daughter Amelia Lott-Watson acquits herself magnificently. Lovely voice. Lovely, composed stage presence. It is her first Fringe role, and it is laudable. 

 

The play itself will generate some lively foyer talk. While it deals with social media, cyber bullying, AI and things on the zeitgeist, it also is decidedly un-“woke”. Great grist for the Fringe mill. A must-see.

 

Samela Harris

 

When: 18 Feb to 22 Mar

Where: Holden Street Theatres, The Arch

Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au