Brighton Fringe 2008
Low Down
Mother’s Boy tells the tale of a betrayal and a theft that goes horribly wrong when family affairs get in the way.
Review
Beverley Mason’s play "Mother’s Boy" is an engagingly written take on familiar themes. Gangster mum steals money and runs off with simple son and his pregnant girlfriend, hoping against hope that the man she’s ripped off won’t be chasing them for revenge.
The story is competently told by Jo Merriman who gives a performance that reminds me of Angelica Houston’s character in Grifter- a mix of seduction and sleaze with a stilleto heel. Merriman addresses the audience directly and soon has us chuckling along as the story unfolds. She uses the stage well and her characterisation is solid.
What I didn’t get from this performance is a real sense of the emotional journey Merriman makes through the show. Perhaps because of the storytelling approach she seems to hold back from totally committing to the character and showing what’s happening inside.
This show gets three stars as a well executed piece of theatre, that tells a good story simply.
