Review of My Mother's Funeral: The Show at Royal & Derngate (Royal), Northampton

The title My Mother's Funeral: The Show is perhaps not the most attractive title for a theatre show, however, this show had great success at the Edinburgh Fringe and now arriving at Royal & Derngate, one of its co-producing theatres, so, let's look beyond the unusual title and see what lies beneath.

Abigail is a theatre dramatist pursuing plays that the theatres no longer want. Her "gay bugs in space" saga falls foul of being fiction for a start, something a theatre director states audiences no longer want stating they want gritty, real experiences, theatre with painful truths. So, after Abigail devastatingly loses her mother and finds no money to pay the funeral fees, she pursues the creation of a very personal theatre show.

My Mother's Funeral: The Show is gritty and sad, but, also in many ways very funny, if in a dark way. Writer Kelly Jones digs deep into the world of poverty in Dagenham and countless estates across the country. A world of people born into poverty and often destined to die there too. Abigail's mum has left nothing and funeral fees out of reach, the hospital continues to chase her to claim her, before the state buries her.

Playing Abigail and her later alter ego in her play persona Stacey is Nicole Sawyerr and she brings a very real, down-to-earth performance. Feeling tremendously personal at times, you fully believe the pain and turmoil she is going through. The emotion deep in her characterisation comes through at all opportunities as she despairs at both her mother's death and the restrictions she finds doing good in her name. It is truly an exemplary performance.

Samuel Armfield plays both the theatre director and Abigail's unhelpful bother Darren, and they are brilliantly indidually played characters. The director, pompous and privileged and the guy who believes he knows everything about theatre, think Gordon Brittas of the theatre world. Darren is very different, initially withdrawn from the whole situation, but slowly approaching the problem and Abigail's challenges in a helpful manner.

Debra Baker completes the cast as a number of characters, but primarily powerful as memories of Abigail's mum, heartwarmingly performed. Elsewhere, she is a rather know-it-all theatre actor, trying to drive her own ridiculous ideas into Abigail's play, while she battles to keep the show as an honour to her mum rather than a caricature or insult.

Jones's script feels tremendously real, and for me very personal, having first-hand experience in handling the organisation of a family member's funeral on more than one occasion now, but fortunately without the poverty that Abigail suffers, but definitely still the restrictions on spending. For me, the only unreal part of Jones's play is the portrayal of the funeral director early in the piece. From my experience, I genuinely feel they would be never be as callous as portrayed, even if they were aware of the monetary restrictions. This scene and its scripting, just feels deliberately aggravating to get the audience annoyed from the outset.

However, beyond that minor quibble, My Mother's Funeral: The Show is an excellent production. Telling for our times, politically edged and, yes, surprisingly funny as well. Its run time of 70 minutes also suits the show well, with nothing excess, and all solid material. There is not long left on the tour now, with just Royal & Derngate and Northern Stage in Newcastle left, but, if you get the chance, do your best to catch it.

Powerful, but equally heartwarming and funny production for our time. Highly recommended.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Thursday 3rd October 2024 at the Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton.

My Mother's Funeral: The Show is on stage at Royal & Derngate until Saturday 5th October 2024.

My Mother's Funeral: The Show is A Paines Plough, Mercury Theatre, Belgrade Theatre, Landmark Theatres, and Royal & Derngate, Northampton co-production.

For further details about the Royal & Derngate and to book tickets see their website at http://www.royalandderngate.co.uk

Photos: Nicola Young

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