Mary-Agnes O'Loughlin's Glimpses of Heaven is a partly fictionalised story in which she performs as Hannah, an adult attending her mother's apartment to pack up belongings. The mother, an illustrious musician with chaotic habits, is voiced by Fiona O'Loughlin herself. The keepsakes trigger memories of a childhood with a mother constantly in the spotlight and turning a blind eye to the lowlights caused by her compulsions.
The show poses difficult questions: Is unconditional love possible when you are watching a family member slowly killing themselves? Is any amount of fame and fortune worth it if you seem destined to join The 27 Club, even a few years past the admission date?
Directed by Australian comedy mainstay Damian Callinan, the production blends morbid storytelling with humour, well-choreographed dance, and music. Wray calls it a 'tender, vulnerable exploration of the struggles with the concepts of familial love, intergenerational trauma and the catharsis found in forgiveness.' The review comes with a strong trigger warning for anyone with a history of domestic distress.
Wray describes the show as a 'very impressive solo debut' and recommends it for a main-stage season in future runs. The roundup of early Fringe reviews also listed Ryan Hamilton and Georgie Wolfe's show F--- Your Funding, though a full review of that production was not included in the excerpt.