
Venue: Ensemble Theatre (Kirribilli NSW), 24 Jan – 15 Mar, 2025
Playwright: David Williamson
Director: Janine Watson
Cast: Tamara Lee Bailey, Rowan Davie, Danielle King, Tracy Mann, Suzannah McDonald, Sam O’Sullivan, Jack Starkey-Gill
Images by Prudence Upton

David Williamson’s Aria is a funny play about a rich Australian family dealing with their own false beliefs and problems. The main character, Monique, thinks she is a great mother and an amazing singer, but in reality, she is not. Her three sons are just like her, unaware of their own faults.

Tracy Mann does a great job playing Monique, making even her most ridiculous words and actions seem real.
At its heart, Aria is about a family stuck in a cycle of selfishness and insecurity. No matter what Monique does, she never feels satisfied and takes out her frustration on others. Her children, used to dealing with their demanding mother, have learned to tolerate her rather than change her. In the end, Aria makes us wonder—can people like Monique ever really change, or is it easier to just accept them as they are?