You Know My Mum - A production packed with ideas!
You Know My Mum Performed by EGO Arts at the Belgrade Theatre until Saturday 29 March, and then on tour.
Review by Wynne Lang.
I remember seeing a wonderful event staged by the EGO theatre company during Coventry’s City of Culture, so when I came to review their latest production I was delighted. It deals with some big issues that could have been a bit overwhelming and sombre but in such skilful hands these were dealt with through humour and with warmth.
This a play of two parts. The first is set in the world of birds. Its central characters are a family of blue tits, with Mum and Dad trying to teach their chicks to fly. Suddenly along comes Earl Hackle, a flamboyant Rooster, who tells them of the dangers outside the safety of their nest. It’s all great fun with the comic book colours of the costumes and the set complementing the energetic fluttering and strutting on a busy stage. The humour is ramped up further when Gully the seagull arrives; full of self -importance and busy-ness.
The jokes come thick and fast with lots of avian puns and some topical references too. The audience chuckled along clearly enjoying this fantastical spectacle. However, there was a serious message underlying all this fun: the natural world is being destroyed by some humans whose activities are selfish and greedy. This first part ends with the lights of a car suggesting a sad end to one of these delightful characters.
Catch Ego Arts on tour. Photo courtesy of Ego Arts.
The second part of the play brings the audience back to reality. The set and costumes change as we watch Dad and Alex tend their garden. These are not the humans the birds fear, as they clearly care about the natural world. Their talk turns to Alex’s mum, who has died. As night falls there is an excellent nightmare sequence referencing the world of Harry Potter. This leads to a discussion between Alex and her dad about death and what it means for those left behind. This is delicately deal with and again humour is used to break through the tensions and difficulties of dealing with such a subject.
These two worlds are imaginatively brought together as Alex and her dad plan to create a safe environment for the wildlife in their garden. This also links to the idea of how a loving family can build a belief in the young and allow them to explore the world with confidence.
This is a production packed with ideas, from the use of jaunty music to put forward serious messages, to the use of puppetry to add to the darkness of Alex’s nightmare. The acting is full of energy and enthusiasm so what is happening on the stage keeps a high level of audience interest and involvement. With a production that is built on team work it is difficult to pick out particular performances but I’m sure the cast would agree that Alex Phillips, whose personal experience is drawn upon, should be given a special mention. Her innocent questioning of her Dad and her thoughtful responses to his attempts to explain the mysteries of death are beautifully acted.
If you haven’t come across EGO before, they are a Coventry theatre company for neurodivergent adults and who rely on donations to keep going.
For more information visit egoarts.co.uk/mum
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