Review: Mothers’ Day/Fathers’ Day, Drayton Arms Theatre

What is the difference between jealousy and envy? A simple Google search will say that envy is when you want something which someone else has, while jealousy is fear of someone taking something which you already have. Both are depicted within Mothers’ Day/Fathers’ Day, a double bill of two very different stories, bound together through themes of jealousy and envy.

Mothers’ Day tells the tale of Pauline (Sarah Wanendeya), an actress who is the daughter of an actress. She herself has a daughter who also acts. Pauline narrates parts of her life in a biographic manner, strutting around stage in sparkly clothes in a manner reminiscent of Norma Desmond in the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard. She is almost always in the spotlight, seeing herself as a famous star who is easily recognisable and adored by all, when in fact, she has actually been nothing more than a glorified extra in multiple films and television shows. Pauline’s mother has been anything but supportive of her career and, according to Pauline, is jealous of her success. However, when Pauline’s daughter Samantha (Isidora Provatos) finds herself in a successful relationship and is accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Pauline finds herself replicating the same jealousy of her daughter as her own mother showed her.

While Mothers’ Day plays out beautifully, the plot presents itself as if it were a Reddit story, very quickly becoming tiring. Pauline transforms too rapidly from a single mother, working to provide for her daughter and someone who the audience can sympathise with, to a jealous and bitter, mediocre actress, whose ego has become extremely inflated to protect her insecurities around her own mother, her daughter, her relationship status and her career. The play has potential to be a deeply meaningful biographic story, but more structure is needed to enable the audience to adequately follow Pauline throughout her life. 

Fathers’ Day tells the story of Joe (El Anthony) who has a job cleaning airplanes. He has recently moved back in with his mother after being prevented from seeing his little son, Davey, and is deeply envious of anyone who can spend time with the child. Joe is fascinated by the planes that he cleans and thinks that because he can pilot virtual planes in his videogames that flying a plane in reality should not be too difficult. When his desire to see his son becomes unbearable, Joe impulsively steals one of the aircraft and attempts to fly to see Davey on Fathers’ Day. It is captivating as the spotlight shines directly on Joe, his fear and excitement beautifully portrayed through Anthony’s acting and a script which leaves one utterly on edge.

However, while Fathers’ Day is a thrilling piece, it comes across more like a preview for a much more in depth show, with the audience perhaps only seeing a small portion of a rather larger story. The play has immense potential to expand itself into an actively compelling plot that guides the audience from the beginning to the end, rather than just presenting the climax and then leaving it at that. 

The themes of jealously and envy presented in both shows truly bind them together. The characters are relatable; wishing that they could be greater, and watching others in their lives who have something, or someone, which they feel has been taken from them. Theirs is a tangible fear of losing that person or object which they feel is important to them. Mothers’ Day/Fathers’ Day are currently two nice shows but with some work on their structure they have incredible potential to become great. 

Directed by: Penny Gkritzapi
Written by: Giles Fernando
Produced by Paradigm Productions, in co-production with the Drayton Arms Theatre

Mothers’ Day/Fathers’ Day plays at The Drayton Arms until Saturday 21 June.