Anoushka Warden’s debut play is a celebration of rebellion and resilience and is directed by Royal Court Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone and Jude Christian. Here Love London Love Culture rounds up the reviews….
“Have you ever tried to sustain a relationship with a twat? It’s hard work and you need to be completely not a twat yourself if you want any success in this. Which is really hard when you’ve just started being a teenager.”
One girl’s funny, frank account of losing her Mum to a cult.
(As if growing up wasn’t hard enough already…)
“I remember thinking if you were ‘the chosen’ one, why does that mean your dress sense has to be so shit?”
The Guardian: *** “Warden writes excellently about the insidious nature of spiritual cults and the way their adherents twist reality to back up their “batshit crazy beliefs”. ”
The Independent: **** ” This is a fascinating 80 minutes and an invigorating debut.”
The Stage: *** “The monologue format feels constraining at times and, perhaps inevitably, the character of the mother remains remote – a shapeless, peripheral figure in the story. This is both completely understandable, given the nature of the story being told, but also dramatically unsatisfying.”
WhatsOnStage: *** “Directed with simplicity and flair by Vicky Featherstone and Jude Christian, and beautifully designed as a bright teenage bedroom by Chloe Lamford, it doesn’t always quite fly as a piece of drama. But it never fails to engross and entertain – a promising start to a writing life.”
The Times: ** “This is an exposed place in which to debut a play, especially one that is so obviously therapy as theatre.”
The Arts Desk: “Warden makes one eager to see where her buoyant gift for self-analysis will take her, and us, next.”
Culture Whisper: **** “There’s striking honesty and depth to this portrait of a mother-daughter relationship, and the devastating effects of abandonment are balanced by the buoyant force of adolescent curiosity. ”
The Telegraph: *** “Warden’s monologue is beautifully marinated in Eighties pop-culture references but it also feels undercooked.”
The Upcoming: *** “As a production My Mum’s a Twat is far from perfect, with a story that is perhaps more interesting than the telling; too often it just stacks up amusing teen anecdotes one after another, avoiding the real meat of the mother/daughter relationship.”
Broadway World: **** ” This play isn’t going to change the world, but what it will guarantee is an enjoyable night at the theatre – where you’ll be treated to a quick-witted narrative, brought to life by an incredible talent.”
London Theatre.co.uk: **** “It’s an eccentric, sad story of parental neglect – but told with a light rather than self-pitying touch that gets under your skin all the more as a result.”
Evening Standard: *** “Delivered with a nice air of mischief by Patsy Ferran”
My Mum’s a Twat continues to play at the Royal Court Theatre until the 20th January. For more information visit: https://royalcourttheatre.com/whats-on/my-mums/.