Review: My Mother’s Funeral: The Show, The Yard Theatre
A well meaning production which examines the trauma of bereavement alongside the expensive practicalities of providing a funeral. Well meaning, but in need of more nuance.Summary
Rating
Good
Abigail’s mum has just died. Understandably she’s very upset. She’s also broke, eking out a living (just) as a writer, and her latest pitch for a play has been declined. What follows is Abigail’s attempts to raise the money for her mother’s funeral by putting on a show about raising the money to pay for a funeral, whilst not telling anyone it is autobiographical. Naturally, elements of her own grief permeate the narrative.
It’s an interesting production with many likeable elements. The set is minimal: a podium sits centre stage, with a microphone ready for action. Samuel Armfield plays both brother and Abigail’s would-be director. Both are competent performances although would benefit from more subtlety. Debra Baker plays several parts, including the funeral director, a hospital administrator and most notably Abigail’s mum. She shines throughout, ably differentiating between parts using a mix of speech and body language. Nicole Sawyerr’s Abigail is moving, but projects and moves at one volume and one speed only: loud and frenetic. This works when expressing her initial mental anguish and downward spiral of anxiety but without variation it becomes too much and her grief less believable as a result.
The theme running through this is the cost of funerals: the average cost of a funeral (without refreshments!) is £4,000, clearly a huge sum out of the reach of many. There is always the option of a Council funeral, but many would baulk at a shared grave and Abigail feels strongly that this is not how she wants to honour her mum. And of course, the hospital are keen for Abigail to claim her mother’s body as they can only keep it for a limited amount of time, but once Abigail does, she is formally responsible for all the costs of disposing of it. To emphasise this, we hear a hospital administrator ringing on a regular basis reminding Abigail of the decreasing amount of time left – a vocal reminder of a clock ticking, which works well. The depiction of a private funeral director is played to the stereotype of a financially grasping, emotionally devoid corporate which, whilst serving a narrative, feels over simplified.
The subject is clearly moving and universal. In our moments of personal devastation and grief we are expected to plan and pay for a funeral which is often financially out of our reach, as well as sorting personal effects and belongings before a property is sold, or returned to the Council. All at a time when our emotions are in freefall. I wanted to like this play and there are glimpses of subtlety which are moving, particularly when Abigail’s mum appears to her from the dead. Their final heart to heart is loving and supportive before her mum disappears. And I for one cried, because the final acknowledgment that you will never see this person again is devastating. The device of a play within a play is also useful, demonstrating as it does society’s view on how grief should look like as Abigail’s director often tells her that her reactions or emotions are not accurate.
However the production as a whole is naturally centred around the lynch pin of Sawyerr’s performance which simply needs more variation: some quiet reflection, and more stillness would make all the difference.
Written by: Kelly Jones
Directed by: Charlotte Bennett
My Mother’s Funeral: The Show plays at The Yard Theatre until 15 February. Further information and tickets available here.