| “Sharp, Very Funny”: Kelly Jones Drama at Edinburgh Fringe |
My Mother's Funeral |
| Paines Plough , Roundabout@Summerhall , August 21, 2024 |
Paines Plough has played a good role in the story of the theatre of Wales. A quarter of a century ago the company ran with an explosive script from a new name. “With a dead cat stuffed through the letterbox”, ran the publicity, “a soupcon of mindless violence and the perfect girl to die for, “Crazy Gary’s Mobile Disco” bristles with the desperately ordinary, the truly extraordinary and the just plain mad.” In 2003 it was followed by “the Drowned World.” In 2017-2019 Theatr Clwyd was in co-production with Paines Plough at the Edinburgh Fringe. The productions, that went on to play in London, included Daf James' “On the Other Hand, We're Happy.” * * * * The description of “My Mother's Funeral” read: “Abigail’s mum is dead. But it turns out she can’t afford her to be. It’s £4000 for the funeral. Extra for flowers. Even more if you want sausage rolls. Then, when a theatre suddenly pulls out of Abigail’s new project, she is asked to write about something else. Something more raw, from her "unique working class lens". Yep. To afford the funeral, she has to write about her mum. With power and playfulness, Kelly Jones’s new play tackles the inequalities around death, and the cost of turning your loved ones into art.” * * * * From The British Theatre Guide: “Abigail is an up-and-coming playwright who has been commissioned to write a new play for this theatre company. She is anxious about the reception of her newest submission: Gay Termites in Space. Although the theatre professional, Darren, assures her that her play is good... but not quite right, he urges her to write about what she knows; familiar and sound advice for all writers. “What she knows, following the recent death of her mother, is that she is torn between ceremoniously honouring the wishes of her mother on the emotional side and the exorbitant costs of the funeral on a pragmatic side. She discusses the option with her somewhat-less-than-helpful brother. “Everyone thinks writing a play on this theme is a good idea. Abigail is not so sure. She feels trapped by the need for the playwriting fee in order to pay for the ever-mounting costs: burial plot, brass handles and all. So, with the help of the theatre manager, and her mother (remembered), and the actress who has been cast to play her mother, she embarks on this new play. “My Mother’s Funeral by Kelly Jones is sharp and very funny and shines a light on every corner of Abigail’s adventure. Balancing the social pressures of this very delicate subject is a familiar dilemma for everyone trying to make logical decisions at a vulnerable time.” * * * * From Edinburgh Reviews: “The play often has moments like this to powerfully represent those times when the world’s demands get loud and insistent. The hospital is always on the phone, asking politely at first, wanting the body in their morgue to be claimed. “...My Mother’s Funeral...features high emotion and one–on–one scenes between grieving siblings or demanding bosses. ...The premise is simple enough – to pay for her mother’s funeral, a playwright in the very infancy of her career and with a fickle, demanding commissioning director decides to write a play about the death of a mother. “In the audience, we know this is a trainwreck in the making. Can the playwright keep her emotional distance? “...Mum and daughter were great friends and so the loss is deeply felt. But there’s a brother in the opposite position, and the relationship between him and Mum seems almost hostile. At times, at the very best, he didn’t seem to care that she was dead. “Our hero, the playwright, is the devoted daughter who does not want her beloved mother to have a council funeral and has no money at all. She’s also just lost her play. Her fickle and commercially driven director (or producer—the boss figure who decides which shows get made) seems to have unexpectedly decided not to proceed with a commissioned play. No play means no money.” “Nicole Sawyer, Debra Baker and Samuel Armfield are brilliant in Kelly Jones’ play. These three talented performers bring life to the funeral with emotionally intense scenes. “ * * * * Audience reactions read: “The best show we've seen at the fringe so far. Very funny and very clever, with a lot of heart behind it. Would strongly recommend.” “Brilliant writing, on so many levels, delivered through skilled direction and talented acting. Extracts with thanks and acknowledgement from source: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/my-mother-s-funeral-the-show |
Reviewed by: Adam Somerset |
This review has been read 149 times |
