Meet Molly Briton (with one 't'), the utterly loveable and irrepressibly charming central character of David Martin's new play Mother. Even through the trials and tribulations of her menopausal shenanigans, Molly exudes warmth and comfort as she tells us her story, which starts in the swinging 60s and continues to the present day. Complete with a soundtrack packed to the rafters with classic and recognisable hits, the play begins as a heartwarming study of a woman who has spent her life in service to her family but transforms into something much darker as we discover that still waters run deep and the picture perfect family life is not so perfect after all.
A superb performance that beguiles the audience from start to finish
Martin's script pops with witty one-liners and is packed with glorious callbacks to the 70s, 80s and 90s. The sudden change in tone and feeling is perhaps a little jarring and seemingly comes from nowhere as we are wrenched from the joyous cacoon of a nostalgic blanket to a bare and desperate world that Molly has to deal with. This may have been done intentionally but it felt to the audience if there might have been something missing from the whole.
Emma Smart is electric as Molly. Her energetic and profoundly moving performance captivates from the off and she commands comedy and pathos with finely honed skill. Hers is a superb performance that beguiles the audience from start to finish.
It is also worth mentioning that I hope that there is a special place in hell for audience members who insist on sitting on the front row, eating and drinking loudly, whilst fully lit, and then proceeding to fall asleep. This is what Emma Smart had to contend with during her performance but did she skip a beat or allow the distractions to curb her offering? Absolutely not; a true testament to her investment in her character and the play.
Mother is well worth your time and you won't be disappointed when fitting this into your schedule.
