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Equal parts historical and hysterical, all heaving harmonies and tipsy candour, explore the history of gin through story and song. Stumble and soar through tales of love and women, gin and secrets, as we wind our way through 18th Century London, a few New York speakeasies, the Australian bush and the jungles of Peru, via sailors and barmaids, bootleggers and master distillers.

With two of Australia’s rising cabaret stars at the helm, we move from misery to vaudeville in a moment, intertwining excess and prohibition, history and (re)invention.

Mother’s Ruin is a 60 minute theatrical cabaret, with music originally performed by Amy Winehouse, Nina Simone, Martha Wainwright, The Popes, The Pretenders and more.

Mother’s Ruin toured to full houses and critical acclaim for four years, with three UK tours, a sold out season at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and sold out shows at Sydney Festival, Sydney Opera House, Darwin Festival, Brisbane Festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Melbourne Cabaret Festival, Fringe World Festival Perth, Adelaide Fringe and Festival of Voices, among others.

Visit the Mother's Ruin website
“It’s the range, depth, and content of the stories Marsden and Wood tell us, along with the gorgeous harmony of their pure voices, that linger once the cabaret is over… Proud and unapologetic, beautiful and powerful.”
☆☆☆☆☆Time Out
“These three are supremely talented, musically and comedically”
☆☆☆☆☆Theatre Bath
“Blisteringly entertaining… Marsden and Wood’s voices blend into a single, warm and bright sound… It’s almost as though the excellent children’s show Horrible Histories was made for grown-ups and laced with booze… Not everybody falls in love with gin, but I can’t imagine too many audience members could resist the charms of Mother’s Ruin.”
☆☆☆☆Daily Review
“Marsden and Wood maintain a spot-on balance 
of larky humour, bolshy political consciousness, 
palpable passion for their subject and sheer joie de vivre”
☆☆☆☆The Scotsman
“A rare gem of cabaret gold."
☆☆☆☆Edinburgh Guide
“A raucous masterclass.”
☆☆☆☆☆one4review
“To say Marsden and Wood work well together is an understatement. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with.”
Radio Adelaide
"I could’ve listened to those two sing all night long… Both sung with such diction and verve, and in flawless harmony; they seemed completely in sync.”
InDaily
“Libby Wood and Maeve Marsden have voices as big as their ample bosoms… Marsden and Wood manage to have the audience simultaneously in stitches of laughter and marvelling at their almost symbiotic harmonies.”
The Adelaide Advertiser
“Marsden and Wood have a commanding presence on stage. Creative, daring and full of flair… Not only vocally sublime but a stroke of comedy genius…. Mother’s Ruin may be a loving ode to a favourite spirit, but you do not need to be a gin drinker to appreciate its brilliance.”
Theatre Press
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Libby Wood and Maeve Marsden host a mixed bag (or mixed drink!) of incredible talent, for a looser, late night cabaret. Hot Gin Punch appeared at Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2019, and has played to sold out crowds at Sydney venue Giant Dwarf.