BE MY BABY to 1 July 2007
London
BE MY BABY
by Amanda Whittington
Upstairs At The Gatehouse To 1 July 2007
Tue to Sat 8pm. Mat Sun 4pm
Runs 80 min No interval
TICKETS: 020 8340 3488
Review: Geoff Ambler 5 June 2007
A little bit of forgotten history and a whole load of emotion.
This is one of those startlingly brilliant fringe performances that takes you to the verge of tears and beyond. Set in 1964, it follows 19-year old Mary (Lisa Duffy), who has been hiding her pregnancy as long as possible from her parents, because England's recent (and to some extent, current) history was to ostracise unmarried mothers, heaping guilt and shame on unfortunate girls when they most need parental support, love and advice.
Mary’s mother (Toni Kanal) secretes her away in a maternity home sternly controlled by Matron (Tracey Ann Wood). Allocated the laundry to work in, she meets three other girls, all with differing outlooks on their situation. Queenie (Alicia Davies) is streetwise, angry and cynical with occasional flashes of heart; Dolores is all simplicity and naïve innocence while Norma (Jenny Harrold), studious in her preparation for maternity and motherhood, is unprepared for the trauma to come.
Throughout the play Kathryn Ind’s direction adds layers of emotion as the four girls' stories unfold. The relationship between Mary and Queenie grows stronger through the performance and I was drawn into an unknown world of shame, hope and consequence. Surfaces are scratched and little is as it seemed underneath; Matron's strict regime soon shows itself to be aimed at preparing her charges for what is to come and while Tracey Ann Woods is possibly a too sympathetic governess, she educates the girls and the audience into realities, separate from the emotions ruling the girls' lives.
Light on optimism, but pulling humour from unexpected places, Be My Baby is full of poignancy, important in its history and still relevant today. Heart-rending performances abound; each of the four girls distinguishes themselves. Lisa Duffy and Alicia Davies grow on their difficult journey and I wanted to believe that they would remain friends; I was completely engaged in their pain and turmoil. Though there is little hope to take from the story, Kathryn Ind’s care crafts something both light and dark, both fact and fiction. With her inspired young cast, she has made Be My Baby a great reason to make this an essential theatrical evening.
Mary: Lisa Duffy
Queenie: Alicia Davies
Dolores: Emma McMorrow
Norma: Jenny Harrold
Matron: Tracey Ann Wood
Mother: Toni Kanal
Director Kathryn Ind
Designer: Kate Tingley
Lighting: Geoffrey Joyce
Costume: Stewart Charlesworth
2007-06-10 14:07:47