Stockholm syndrome disintegrates at the death of a matriarch, in this zany comedy
Mother, There Art Thou opens with Charlie (Rachel Sarah Wirz) tentatively approaching her mother to deliver afternoon tea. The leaves have been brewed to perfection – down to the final grain of sand in the timer – and the temperature of the water diligently monitored. Yet the matriarch imposing these exacting standards remains unmoved; literally, seeing as she’s represented onstage by a mannequin. Charlie shrieks upon realising she’s forgotten the biscuits, but her more sensible twin sister Murphy (Abigail Dawn) sees their mother is not being ruder than usual, but has in fact died. The collapse of the rigid rules defining the twins’ lives means they must work out how to survive, and whether to unlock the front door and step out into the world. This is played for laughs by a game cast up for silliness, but a thin script, lacking comic layers, makes for a forgettable experience.
Much of Mother, There Art Thou’s madcap comedy is driven by the twins’ undeniable chemistry: Murphy is an effective foil to Charlie’s high-energy panic. Initially convinced she’s “killed mum with words”, Charlie cuts a memorable silhouette, sheltering in a den of sheets, clutching a fork to protect against the monsters outside. Murphy’s more dramatic moments are carried off well, particularly an angry monologue addressed to her mother’s corpse: “What happens if you break the rules? You die. What happens if you die? You stop.”
This emotional impact is flattened by performances that prioritise comedy, whilst the script aspires to comic drama. The show lacks the zippy one-liners of a laugh-out-loud riot. Its physical comedy is more effective, particularly Murphy’s pent-up fury whilst checking their mother is really dead. Yet a darker, more grounded approach might unlock the power of the script’s more serious elements. Certainly Mother, There Art Thou is at its most intriguing when Murphy pushes Charlie to break the rules. They must have existed before mum, because they are true – and so surely there are some rules mum didn’t know about? This is skimmed over in search of the next laugh.
Alongside the mannequin, the stage contains a heavily secured door adorned with a scrawled copy of ‘the rules’, and a clotheshorse which later becomes the den where Charlie takes refuge to decide whether to step into the world. The lighting reinforces the atmosphere, shifting with the looming dread of punishment and narrowing to the confines of the cupboard where this so often took place. Both actors suffer through a monstrous sandwich – egg mayo, cheese, mackerel and jam (combining all fillings permitted under ‘the rules’ into one behemoth) – that constitutes Murphy’s early rebellion upon discovering freedom.
It’s clear everyone involved wants to make Mother, There Art Thou a success. And it is a charming, if forgettable, diversion. With some serration to its performances, or a more joke-laden script – maybe both? – there is the potential for greater impact. As it is, the performance never quite makes it through the door and into the big wide world.
Mother, There Art Thou was performed twice at the Etcetera Theatre on 30th October. The company are aiming for a longer run in early-mid 2027.