Swimming With My Mother features a real mother and son, Madge and David Bolger, exploring their relationship and mutual love for swimming and dancing through a 40-minute show accompanied by multimedia projection and the sultry sounds of Nat King Cole.It is easy to see why this show has made such an impact in previous performances, it is strangely beautiful. The dance is not perfect, there are a few steps out of place and some timing issues, but the most important aspect is there: heart. Madge Bolger is in her 70s and narrates the majority of the piece which follows her life, from learning to swim as a youngster up to the present moment, through its many trials and tribulations. Her son, David, narrates infrequently but, when he does, his voice and movement is saturated with emotion and love for his dear mother. When he swims, he always feels safe with her.The imagery on stage is poignant and beautiful and, even without knowing about their genetic relationship, there is undeniably an unbreakable familial bond between the two - there is something instinctive in the way they move together.The story develops naturally with David cleverly and subtly transforming from an energetic, bounding young boy to a strong, controlled man. With no pun intended (or perhaps there is), the movement is very fluid and looks simply effortless. The pair traverse through the highs and lows of their life - from the comedy, as they are blissfully mischievous together, to the emotional drama of losing David's father to bronchitis, which is mirrored perfectly in the choreography as David dips underwater, struggling for air.The power and simplicity of the show is most impressive. It is astounding to watch the real life stories of these two dancers played out through a combination of their passions - swimming and dancing.Swimming With My Mother is beautifully heartfelt and definitely worth a watch.
