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Edinburgh Fringe 2024

My Mother’s Funeral: The Show

Paines Plough

Genre: New Writing, Theatre

Venue: Roundabout @ Summerhall

Festival:


Low Down

My Mother’s Funeral: The Show is an outstanding play influenced by playwright, Kelly Jones, own experience of finding that death comes at an, often unaffordable, cost. Her  writing is fluid, punchy, direct, sharp, witty and, at times, painful; the cast of three never miss a beat and the simple set and evocative sound design support the whole perfectly.

This is a play that will stay with you. It’s a powerful reminder of the personal cost of creating art, and of the emotional toll that comes with turning one’s life into a commodity. With its sharp wit, emotional depth, and outstanding performances, this is a production that deserves to be seen and celebrated.

Review

In My Mother’s Funeral: The Show, playwright Kelly Jones crafts a compelling narrative that deftly blends biting satire with poignant social commentary. The play centres on Abigail, a struggling playwright whose commissioned project is abruptly shelved by the theatre she believed in. The reason? Her work isn’t ‘raw’ enough. Audiences, the patronising artistic director says, no longer want fiction that entertains; they want stories that make them uncomfortable, stories that reflect the gritty reality of their own lives. The irony of this directive is not lost on Abigail, as he asks her to write through her ‘authentic working-class lens.’

At the same time Abigail is facing the harsh reality of her mother’s death. The situation is complicated not only by grief but by the staggering costs associated with funerals—a fact that Jones highlights with a brutal, unwavering honesty. Abigail quickly learns that the funeral her mother once imagined will cost around £4,000 at the very least; a little research suggests that this is a modest estimate for a funeral in London. This financial burden adds a layer of urgency to Abigail’s work, as she decides to use her creativity and writing in a bid to fund her mother’s final farewell.

The running refrain of hospital calls, reminding Abigail that she must “collect and take responsibility” for her mother’s body, underscores the relentless pressure that the bereaved face, particularly when death is sudden and there are no clear instructions or financial preparations. With no options other than a council funeral and an unmarked grave, Abigail returns to the theatre world she knows, but this time, she’s armed with a story that’s painfully raw—her own.

Jones’s writing is fluid, direct, and unflinchingly honest. Her dialogue crackles with wit, yet it never shies away from the emotional depth required to portray Abigail’s turmoil. The character of Abigail is wonderfully portrayed by Nicole Sawyerr, who captures the mounting desperation of a woman caught between her grief and the financial realities of modern life. Sawyerr’s performance is both tender and fierce, embodying Abigail’s frustration with an authenticity that resonates deeply.

Debra Baker and Samuel Armfield are equally impressive. Both take on multiple roles, seamlessly transitioning between characters with clarity and precision. Armfield is particularly effective in his dual roles as Abigail’s brother and the condescending theatre manager. His portrayal of the brother—who feels sidelined by their mother’s favouritism toward Abigail—adds a layer of familial tension that enriches the narrative. Jones delves into the complexities of grieving someone with whom you had a fraught relationship, adding nuance to the portrayal of sibling dynamics.

Baker shines as the embodiment of Abigail’s mother, bringing warmth and emotional depth to the character, while also delivering humour and heartbreak in equal measure. That she also plays the actor playing Abigail’s mother as this new play within a play is workshopped brings another layer of nuance, emphasising how stories can be influenced in the process of bringing them to the stage. The dynamics between the three actors are expertly handled, ensuring that even in scenes of quick character changes, the story remains clear and compelling.

The direction by Charlotte Bennett is spare and focused, allowing the strength of the performances and the writing to take centre stage. Bennett skilfully balances the sharp comedic elements of the play with its more emotional undercurrents, creating a production that is both engaging and thought-provoking. The minimalist set in the Roundabout, designed by Rhys Jarman, allows both a simple space to tell the story and for the audience wherever seated to feel involved.

One of the play’s greatest strengths is its ability to critique the theatre industry while also offering a heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and the complexities of family relationships. As Abigail attempts to craft a play that honours her mother’s story and appeases the theatre’s demands, the tension between personal truth and artistic integrity becomes palpable. The play’s stylised depiction of this process—where the director and actors become almost caricatures of themselves—adds a layer of dark comedy that is both funny and painful.

My Mother’s Funeral is a tour de force of new writing. Jones has crafted a play that is not only a searing indictment of the theatre industry’s often myopic view of working-class voices but also a deeply moving portrait of a woman navigating the impossible demands of grief. The unanswered questions about Abigail’s relationship with her mother and brother only add to the richness of the narrative, suggesting that their story, like all of ours, is ongoing and unresolved.

My Mother’s Funeral: The Show is a play that will stay with you. It’s a powerful reminder of the personal cost of creating art, and of the emotional toll that comes with turning one’s life into a commodity. With its sharp wit, emotional depth, and outstanding performances, this is a production that deserves to be seen and celebrated.

Published