Pony | Australian Arts Review

Griffin Theatre Company will present the world premiere of the sassy, oh-so-crass one-woman crusade, Pony by Eloise Snape, at the SBW Stables Theatre from 12 May 2023.

Hazel is no angel. In fact, she’s a delusional, reality TV-obsessed fantasist who swears like a sailor and has a fondness for greased up male strippers. She’s also hugely, undeniably, ready-to-pop pregnant.

Up the duff and coasting through ultrasounds, baby showers and appointments with her midwife, Hazel is very good at ignoring the stark reality that’s about to rock her world from the inside out – literally.

What happens when you’re not ready to swap grinding Ginuwine for nursery rhymes? When you’re questioning whether you’re even cut out for motherhood, but that horse bolted eight months ago?

The exquisitely comedic Briallen Clarke (A Strategic Plan, Irreverent) stars as the mortifyingly hilarious Hazel in the Australian stage’s answer to Fleabag and The Letdown.

Delivered by an all-female, award-winning creative team, Pony is directed by Anthea Williams (Since Ali Died, Belvoir’s HIR) and designed by Isabel Hudson (Hayes Theatre Co’s American Psycho, Belvoir’s Every Brilliant Thing).

“Pony is having a really fascinating conversation about the role of motherhood and womanhood in society at large, but also about pre- and post-partum mental health as well, and the way that this massive life event can make it difficult to ascertain whether something is a moment of mental health crisis, or whether something is just about a seismic change in the life of a particular person,” said Griffin’s Artistic Director, Declan Greene.

Shortlisted for the Griffin Award 2022, the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award 2022-23, the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award 2021 and the Patrick White Playwrights Award 2022, Pony offers a belly-laughing, heart-bursting meditation on womanhood not to be missed.