'Woman with a Tomahawk' / Interview with Ruth Katerlos
Ruth Katerelos' debut play ‘Woman with a Tomahawk’ is a poignant piece of theatre, asking the question: how do we evolve through trauma?
Opening at La Mama on Wednesday night, Woman With a Tomahawk has already established itself as a bold piece of feminist theatre that is unafraid to pursue a difficult conversation around violence and mental illness. Written by therapist Ruth Katerelos, the play takes a cast of fierce women (Alana Louise, Nisha Marie Joseph and Katerelos herself) to share a story of grit and womanhood in the face of trauma. We had the pleasure of chatting with Ruth on all things theatre and mental health.
Congratulations on opening your debut play! What initially inspired you to start creating the piece?
Thanks so much. The inspirations I guess are many. But the initial provocation really was the killing of a woman by Victoria Police in the early 1990s. I was in a very distressed state because my partner had recently died from an aneurism, and I’d lost three other people close to me in the preceding 20 months or so. When I heard this news report, I was distraught. How could a group of police not find a way to manage a woman who was in pain without killing her. Then I did some research and saw that this was happening all too frequently. It also touched issues for me around my own childhood and battles with what we call mental illness.
Do you have a background in theatre-making?
I trained in Drama and Dance at Rusden in the 80s, and had been performing in community theatre well before then. So yes, I’ve been involved in making theatre for many years … but this is the first theatre piece I’ve written. Though I have written many songs, a cabaret of original songs and short film which has played at many festival internationally.
Can you tell us a bit about the show?
The show is really a series of vignettes … some from my life, some factual, others allegorical. There are representations of the Woman with a Tomahawk, the police, a bystander … and these are interspersed with moments and stories about my history. There are common themes around mental health, especially the way we are impacted by childhood experiences, as well as the way our society views and deals with people who struggle and are in pain.
Alana Stewart, Nisha Marie Joseph and yourself make a powerful ensemble! How was sharing the rehearsals space?
Sharing the space with Alana and Nisha, and our wonderful director Sarah Vickery, and our SM Naavikaran has been an absolute joy. Sarah uses a process that focuses on finding physical and vocal etudes that form the basis of what we’re doing. It’s non-naturalistic theatre; dynamic, and exciting and we have been working very solidly as a team. Leading, following, generally being in sync with each other as an ensemble. There are times we move and speak together or operate as a duo or a trio. The whole process has been fantastic.
A selfish question by me - I’m super interested in your career as a therapist and how (if at all) it influenced the themes you tackle in the show?
My approach to the way I work as therapist is informed by my own life experiences, and this play certainly explores many facets of that. I believe and individual’s emotional world, but also their history and the thoughts that they think, conscious of unconscious, are significant in our experience of life. I think we’re in a time where people are over pathologized, and over medicated and I struggle with that as a human, and a therapist. Who gets to tell us the ‘right way to be’. Human beings are diverse, and yes, there are some areas where can find ourselves having maladaptive thoughts and behaviours – but these come from somewhere. I’m interested in looking at the causes, rather than just treating the symptoms. This too is based on my life journey.
Why did you choose to share the story through live theatre?
I love theatre. I explore lots of ideas through my songs too, but theatre will always have a special place for me …. It can be where magic happens.
What kinds of discussions do you hope the play prompts in your audience?
I’ve had a couple of people tell me that the show was very thought provoking, and very moving. Someone told me it felt dark, someone else – that it was beautiful. I guess the main thing for me is that people do have some kind of response that leaves them perhaps questioning, but certainly feeling something. I’d like to feel that something in it resonated with most people.
How do you feel about the current trajectory of the Melbourne Theatre scene? What kinds of work do you hope to see more of?
Hmmmm …. Melbourne’s Indie theatre scene has always been pretty healthy, and theatres like La Mama, The Butterfly Club and Theatreworks continue to support artists, at differing levels to be able to make work and explore ideas. I’m less excited by some of our mainstage productions when they get caught up on the idea of celebrity, rather than looking at finding ways to tell great stories which are perhaps not mainstream. The recent Malthouse production of Loaded is one such example, and we do have some wonderful and exciting performers and directors around.
Finally! What are you planning next in the World of theatre?
My next gig is as part of a duet doing a regional tour of a cabaret show Goddesses of Jazz. I also have another couple of things that I’m writing … when things settle down a bit. But hey, I’d love the opportunity to play a great role as well if the opportunity came along. And … I’ll also be looking into seeing if WWAT has potential legs in it as well. I’d like more people to see this show too.
Get tickets to the show at La Mama Theatre and stay up to date on Instagram
Content Warnings: Mentions of sexual abuse, gun violence, and mental health
Written by Ruth Katerelos
Direction and Costume Design by Sarah Vickery
Performed by Nisha Marie Joseph, Ruth Katerelos, Alana Louise
Sound Design: Naavikaran
Lighting Design: Sarah Vickery and Naavikaran
Stage Manager: Naavikaran
Words by Sarah Palmieri (@sarahkatepanini)
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