Stuck review | La Mama Theatre

Two women work in a supermarket deli: Old One and Young One. Young One is energetic, sprightly and optimistic, convinced the job is only temporary until she saves enough money to pursue the life and career she really wants. Old One, meanwhile, is cynical and worn down by years of routine, approaching both the work and the world with a much harder edge. Their contrasting perspectives sparks immediate friction, as Stuck explores how their personalities clash, challenge, and influence one another over time.

Megan Twycross raises questions about ageism, motherhood and the obstacles many women face in breaking free from cycles that quietly tighten around them, becoming increasingly difficult to escape. Twycross finds a strong fusion of absurdist humour and emotional truth, using comedy to highlight the frustration, exhaustion and even resentment and anger that sit beneath the characters’ daily grind.

Caroline Lee and Eva Seymour complement each other well, easily establishing a believable rapport between the pair. Their opposing dispositions and changing power dynamic give scenes energy, while the gradual way they begin to influence one another is nicely depicted. They bring a distinct presence to the stage, and their chemistry keeps the audience engaged. There are a few opening night hiccups with minor line stumbles and instances where cues are picked up too early, but these are unlikely to trouble the production as the season progresses.

Susie Dee’s direction maintains a steady momentum, juxtaposing the play’s offbeat tone with its darker undercurrent. Dee allows the tension to slowly build, giving the actors the opportunity to settle into the rhythms of the relationship while ensuring the production never loses its sense of unease. The quieter scenes are particularly well-handled, with pauses and repetitive workplace monotony used to emphasise the stagnation that sits at the centre of the play.

Lindy Macauley’s deli set supports the claustrophobia of the text, with two steel tables and a stark PVC curtain running across the back wall. The black-and-white checked floor reinforces the sterile feel of the supermarket setting, while also lending the space a slightly elevated, almost surreal quality.

Ian Moorhead’s sound composition heightens the tension, layering distorted noises beneath the action. At times, the soundscape resembles the hum of a failing fridge, the clatter of a register, or the grinding whirr of a meat slicer, creating an unsettling ambience. Similarly, Amelia Lever-Davidson and Spencer Herd’s lighting design succeeds in the production’s shifting moods, balancing the harsh artificial glare of the deli with moments that are isolating and psychologically charged.

Stuck is a well-constructed production that effectively blends humour with a lingering, oppressive atmosphere. Its strength lies in the performances and the cohesive integration of design elements, which steadily reveal women’s shared pressures and entrapments despite their differing outlooks.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: La Mama HQ, 205 Faraday St, Carlton
Season: until 24 May | Wed - Thurs 6:30pm, Fri - Sat 7:30pm, Sun 4pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $35 Full | $25 Conc
Bookings: La Mama Theatre

Image credit: Darren Gill