Hush by Ciella Williams

"Is the womb half full or half empty?"

Nina's waters have broken early. She knows it's a girl. She doesn't know if she wants it. She lies in a pool of her own amniotic fluid in Darwin hospital, alone and paralysed by indecision. Slowly losing her grip on reality, she is visited by her best friend who dreams of a different life for her, and an apparition of her mother as a young woman who will do anything to be forgiven. Is Nina too messed up to be a mother? Or is she old enough and ugly enough to see this through? And maybe that thing slithering around in her ultrasound isn’t a baby at all…

Hush is the highly anticipated first full-length play by Darwin sensation, Ciella Williams. Conceptualised just days after giving birth to her own daughter, Hush cuts through our cultural narratives about motherhood – instead diving into the real fears, ugly desires, and harsh realities of young women faced with this transformation.

Hush marks the fourth work from New Ghosts Theatre Company’s IGNITE Collective.

Written by Ciella Williams
Directed by Lucy Clements
Produced by Janine Lau
Production Designed by Cj Fraser-Bell & Ruru Zhu
Sound Designed by Clare Hennessy
Composed by Serina Pech
Lighting Designed by Kate Baldwin
Production Managed by Lillian Lee
Stage Managed by Milly Grindrod
Assistant Directed by Emma Wright
Assistant Produced by Rebecca Abdel-Messih & Sarah Jasem

Performed by Clementine Anderson, Rachael Chisholm, Sasha Dyer, Zoe Jensen & Stella Ye.

Poster & image by Jacinthe Lau

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Content Warning: Hush contains references to violence against women, as well as themes of fertility and birth (including miscarriage, birth-trauma, and post-natal depression). If this show brings up anything for you please contact BeyondBlue's 24/7 Hotline at 1300 22 4636.

Age Recommendation: 15+