A touching take on grief, strained family relationships, and identity.
Performed by Mad Jacks Theatre, written by Cherry Eckel and directed by Sam Smith, Photographs takes us into the lives of three daughters from a mildly dysfunctional family, recently affected by the recent passing of their grandmother.
The play starts a little uncertain, as we begin without understanding the relationships between the characters on stage, though once the dynamic is established investment becomes easier for the audience.
Where Photographs does well is ensuring it doesn’t tell the same story of grief three times. While the death of the grandmother underpins the narrative, it serves as a catalyst to issues that exist elsewhere. All three sisters occupy niche positions and relationships within the family, which we learn about through the rotating monologues.
Despite all three sisters often all being on stage together, it’s not often that we see the characters interact with each other. Dialogue is minimal, with the play instead driven by the sisters passing the figurative baton for monologue. This lends itself well to the feeling of isolation that the sisters experience as they navigate through the trials and tribulations of their circumstances. It also gives each sister a chance to express their story unclouded by the opinions of their siblings, allowing the characters to flourish in the space given. Each member of the cast seizes this opportunity wonderfully.
Bea, the role model oldest child, played convincingly by Rachel Andrews, has left for university and is struggling with typical fresher challenges; making new friends, sustaining your own existence without your mum cooking for you, and confusion over the sense of home. Andrews enjoys the privilege of the most universally relatable line in the production: “I really miss the age where it was socially acceptable to tantrum” and executes it perfectly – a fine example of the sprinkling of comic relief the play enjoys.
Middle child Sydney is perhaps the most complex of the sisters, Florence Chevallier triumphing with the tough facade masking a vulnerable and confused 16 year old, unsure of how they fit into the world.
Neave Matthews’ performance as youngest sister, 14 year old June, was thoroughly entertaining and captivating as we’re told of school playground dramas and how much she hates her English teacher. The closest child to the recently deceased grandmother, Matthews plays June’s grief with a touching youthful sadness.
Photographs allow us to connect the lives our older relatives lived before we existed, and this sentimental motif is explored throughout the play. While the pace of the play sometimes meanders, the sentimentality prevails and we’re left feeling hopeful that although for most of the play, the sisters have addressed us alone, they ultimately do have each other for love and support.