The night of Nov. 21, BC put on an unforgettable performance of the 1983 Pulitzer Prize winner play “‘night, Mother” written by Marsha Norman.

When first walking into the Black Box Theater; you were first warned to be aware of where you sit because there was some loud sound effects during the show. Since the room was small, the seats were right where the stage was.

Before the play started, we saw Thelma Cates (Rebecca Velez Rabago) entering the stage and sitting down on a couch. After a few minutes of setting the scene by doing a crossword, the play began.

The play started off normal with an average mother and daughter conversation; however, it took a turn the moment Jessie Cates (Damien Hernandez) told her mother she wants to kill herself.

Throughout the rest of the play, Thelma is trying to convince her daughter Jessie to not end her life. However, Jessie doesn’t fully listen and is fully set on ending it all.

At the end of the play, Jessie did kill herself. Before she closes the door, she tells her mother “night, mother.”

The play and the actors both did well in not only portraying the characters phenomenally, but also acting with such a heavy focus on the theme of suicide.

It was evident both actors understood the role they were playing, just by watching how they act. Hernandez and Rabago did well in portraying a daughter and mother relationship, especially with the theme.

There were some scenes that the audience who struggle with mental health related to Jessie, especially when she was talking about feeling sad and alone.

Overall, the play was directed very well. It was an enjoyable opportunity to see the play and not know what to expect.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, call Save A Life Today (SALT) Kern County at 1-661-718-LIVE or call the National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-991-5272.