A year after the death of their mother, with her fiancée Mark (Jack Huckin) in tow, Saskia (Eleanor Griffiths) and Sarah (Florence Lace-Evans) reunite for a party to commemorate the anniversary, but Sarah’s pet squirrel is not the only source of chaos in this fraught gathering. With madcap wit and touching moments, Yes, We're Related delivers a sincere portrayal of grief that has potential to develop.
Delivers a familiar story with an exciting and wacky approach
Written by Lace-Evans, the show promises unhinged humour and a quirky narrative with visuals of squirrel heads and raving. We are thrust into Sarah’s living room, immersed in her manic habitat prompted by her mother’s death. This is brilliantly interrupted by the straight-laced Saskia who stands in stark contrast with her unkempt sister, exaggerated further by Huckin’s Mark who portrays an endearing and foolish character with touching sincerity. To the credit of director Eliza Beth Stevens, the dynamic between the three characters is made crystal clear, and we, the audience, are locked in from the offset. Lace-Evans’ acting shines: her Sarah is utterly believable which enhances both her humour and her heartache. At times, the scale of Griffiths’ delivery didn’t quite match the intimacy of the space, and moments of emotion felt pushed. Nevertheless, her energy and commitment worked well in Saskia’s lighter moments.
Lace-Evans’ writing balances humour and tragedy well, with a particularly strong first half. Sarah’s reincarnated mother taking the form of ‘Gerald’ the squirrel is a wonderful spin on traditional grief narratives, which could be further integrated into the storyline. The characters’ clashing personalities in the hapless setting of an ill-fated party keeps us on our toes, and the couple of hallucinogenic sequences are excellent, with the potential to also be taken even further. There are, however, some minor plot holes and clichés that creep in and unfortunately distract from the performance. Both Sarah’s unabashed frankness and vulnerability and Saskia’s uptight rationality are well conceived and do not need to be spelled-out as much in the dialogue.
Yes, We’re Related delivers a familiar story with an exciting and wacky approach that is both delightful and moving. With some amendments the show could be a more palpable hit, but is still sure to entertain.
