Tag Archives: Jess Brigham

DEAD MOM PLAY

★★★

Union Theatre

DEAD MOM PLAY

Union Theatre

★★★

“Though it could really sing with some further consideration, Ben Blais has certainly shown us something very real”

Theatrical musings about death and grief abound, but one thing has become incredibly clear — audiences will always buy into them. Grief, after all, is a universal experience that we long to share, while rarely feeling that we can. And so, theatre provides some small form of catharsis, allowing us to process our own emotions on the subject via proxy. Ben Blais, who serves as both writer and director here, seeks to provide that catharsis through an ambitious blend of sincerity, comedy, and straight-up chaos — but it’s clear that the work still needs a bit of polish.

When we meet Charlie (Griffyn Bellah) and his dying mother (Hannah Harquart), it is via a strange, often difficult to follow call-and-response duologue that goes on just a bit too long. We are soon introduced to Death (Joseph Bellis), posing as a newly moved-in neighbour, who wishes to spend some time with Charlie’s mom… presumably to take her away and end her suffering. What follows is a series of vignettes where Charlie finds any possible way to avoid what is happening right before his eyes. He can’t bring himself to face the horrific things that are happening to his mother’s decaying body — he describes the sights and the smells in quite visceral detail — but he can’t quite let go either. He entreats Death for more time, chases Death off time and again, but also berates Death for allowing her to suffer so much. The internal conflict is gorgeously played out by Bellah and reflects the very real complexity of grief.

But there are spaces here for improvement. A short section of Shakespearean monologue feels a touch like it’s filling space, more than serving a narrative purpose. The lighting design, provided by Jess Brigham, is ethereal and matches the tonal needs of the piece, but the sound hampers the performance at times, causing some lines to be lost in the chaos. A threat of suicide toward the end of the show feels particularly unbalanced, unrooted, and perhaps unearned — though it is threatened with a finger gun, it still feels rather jarring, particularly when followed by another character telling the one with a finger gun pointed at their temple to “try harder”. For a show that deals quite sensitively with other matters of death, it doesn’t seem to have interrogated its relationship with suicide or self-harm very well.

With all that said, the storytelling structure, the book-ends that Blais provides are what really show his promise as a writer. Death has a constant refrain for Charlie throughout the piece — “show me something real”. Though it could really sing with some further consideration, Ben Blais has certainly shown us something very real.



DEAD MOM PLAY

Union Theatre

Reviewed on 15th April 2025

by Stacey Cullen

Photography by Andrew AB

 

 


 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

DUDLEY ROAD | ★★ | January 2025
NOOK | ★★½ | August 2024
WET FEET | ★★★★ | June 2024
THE ESSENCE OF AUDREY | ★★★★ | February 2024
GHOST ON A WIRE | ★★★ | September 2022

DEAD MOM PLAY

DEAD MOM PLAY

DEAD MOM PLAY

WISH YOU WEREN’T HERE

★★★

Soho Theatre

WISH YOU WEREN’T HERE at the Soho Theatre

★★★

“strong representation of modern mother and daughter relationships with beautifully honest and down-to earth delivery”

Wish You Weren’t Here, written by Katie Redford, tells the story of a mother and daughter from Sheffield going on a weekend getaway to Scarborough. Mila (Olivia Pentelow) is sixteen and overwhelmingly ‘over it’. Her mother Lorna (Eleanor Henderson) is a single mum and desperate to connect to her daughter. Their dynamic grows in complexity as the audience are taken on a whistlestop tour of topical inter-generational issues including feminism, social media and the environment. In a curious, but emblematic of the current era, characterisation Lorna appears more carefree and fun-seeking whereas her teenage daughter is more reserved and uninspired; a sign of the times. The weekend trip proves testing for both characters in this emotive and comical two-hander. The story is modern and well-tuned with realistic and playful dialogue throughout, making up for its somewhat well-trodden subject matter.

The themes of the play, likely as a result of being based on conversations and testimony from hundreds of young people by the Theatre Centre. Its mission to work with young people ‘to write a better future’ is further reflected in the show’s ultimate message of healing. As a piece of theatre in education, Wish You Weren’t Here reflects the zeitgeist of teenagers and does so without cringe-inducing references or ham-fisted observations. Both mother and daughter grapple with phones (adults are equally screen-addicted as youth) and both can relate to insecurities as women.

Scarborough and its trappings as a seaside destination are staged with five simple platforms at various heights (Bethany Wells) and through videos shown on tv screens, which also depicts the intensity of technology in the characters’ lives (Rob Watt). The tone of scenes is supplemented by lighting evoking bright arcades and dark streets (Jess Brigham). The sound design complements the videos and action (Tom Sharkett). Additionally, detailed and accurate images on the prop phones make the large usage of phones on stage infinitely less distracting (no obviously dark or incorrect screens when texting or facetiming! It’s the little things!)

A major success of Wish You Weren’t Here is the heartfelt performances of its cast, directed by Rob Watt. Pentelow embodies an eye-rolling apathetic teenager and impassioned but hurt girl struggling with the world with outstanding realism. Brilliantly, Henderson manages to appear both in opposition and support of her daughter, sharing her experiences as a once teenage mother with energy and presence. She ultimately tries to protect her daughter from hard truths whilst exposing her own flaws as events unfold. The pair portray a funny and tested relationship accompanied with some impressive “Dance Dance Revolution” sequences (Movement by Kiren Virdee) and ramblings about mushrooms “they need shit to grow”.

The show is a strong representation of modern mother and daughter relationships with beautifully honest and down-to earth delivery.

 


WISH YOU WEREN’T HERE at the Soho Theatre

Reviewed on 22nd February 2024

by Jessica Potts

Photography by Chris Saunders

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

REPARATIONS | ★★★ | February 2024
SELF-RAISING | ★★★★★ | February 2024
FLIP! | ★★★★ | November 2023
BOY PARTS | ★★★★ | October 2023
BROWN BOYS SWIM | ★★★½ | October 2023
STRATEGIC LOVE PLAY | ★★★★★ | September 2023
KATE | ★★★★★ | September 2023
EVE: ALL ABOUT HER | ★★★★★ | August 2023
STRING V SPITTA | ★★★★ | August 2023
BLOODY ELLE | ★★★★★ | July 2023
PETER SMITH’S DIANA | | July 2023
BRITANICK | ★★★★★ | February 2023

WISH YOU WEREN’T HERE

WISH YOU WEREN’T HERE

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