"I'll Tell You This for Nothing - My Mother the War Hero" is a solo play written and performed by Kate JasonSmith.
Why did France award the Legion d'Honneur - its highest accolade for exceptional courage - to Phyllis, a little known Kiwi woman from Ireland? I'll Tell You This for Nothing - My Mother the War Hero tells that WW2 story in a 60 minute solo performance written and acted by her daughter, Kate JasonSmith.
QA nurse Phyllis, sent to the front lines, finds the love of her life there. But there were many nurses on the front lines and not all of them were honoured as Phyllis was.
Kate, herself an award-winning director and actor, has worked with dramaturge Deb Filler and director Jan Bolwell to craft this dramatic and often humorous tale of her mother's life.
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"I'll Tell you This for Nothing" sizzle reel
"I'll Tell You This for Nothing - My Mother the War Hero" sizzle reel from Kate JasonSmith on Vimeo.
"I'll Tell you This for Nothing" was recorded live at Circa Theatre in Wellington in May 2022. You can see the complete archival video below. All copyrights remain and this video cannot be screened publicly or reproduced without permission.
"I'll Tell you This for Nothing" was recorded live at Circa Theatre in Wellington in May 2022. You can see the complete archival video below. All copyrights remain and this video cannot be screened publicly or reproduced without permission.
I'll Tell You This for Nothing - archival recording.m4v from Kate JasonSmith on Vimeo.
"I'll Tell You This for Nothing has so many things going for it, it's hard for a reviewer to know where to start. There were so many good fairies gathered round the cradle when this show was in its infancy, they must've been stacked several deep and elbowing each other for an opportunity to shower their gifts on the babe."
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Tim Stevenson, Theatreview
"The most moving performance I've ever seen. Stunning!"
Bex Ansell
"Kate I was blown away. Absolutely brilliant. Funny. Poignant. Tears in my eyes. Shocking too. What an incredible journey you take us all on. On so many levels your work is brilliant shining genius and connects with us to make us better people."
Celine Carlisle
"Your story, your characters, are so heart-warming. Your mother was an incredible woman. Thank you so much for sharing her story with us."
Tabitha Arthur