Review: WISH YOU WEREN’T HERE, Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse - Tour

Photo credit: Theatre Centre

In their third collaboration with Sheffield Theatres, Theatre Centre take to the Playhouse stage with Katie Redford’s new play, Wish You Weren’t Here. It follows 16 year old Mila and her young mum Lorna as they go on holiday to Scarborough to celebrate Mila’s GCSE results. It is authentic, heartfelt, funny and moving, and is a fascinating exploration of a mother-daughter relationship – something that perhaps isn’t explored on stage as much as it should be.

Redford’s script is brilliant. She creates two wonderfully believable characters who have both faced their fair share of challenges. The writing is witty, getting the audience belly laughing within five minutes, whilst by the end it makes the audience start to cry with the beauty of the mother-daughter relationship and the challenges that they face. At times, it can feel like one too many societal issues are mentioned but the play very impressively shows different people’s perspectives on things such as climate change, body positivity, self-worth and race whilst not making an argument. It starts important conversations whilst not necessarily telling the audience what they should or shouldn’t think.

Rob Watt directs the production, managing to make the piece feel completely grounded in reality whilst working with a fairly blank slate set. Bethany Wells’ set design is very simple, as it needs to be as the show is touring to schools as well as UK theatres, but it is used very effectively to show a wide range of different locations. Watt also provides the video design which helps to locate the piece and also punctuates key emotional moments of the plot.

The cast of two are both perfectly cast in their roles. Eleanor Henderson makes a wonderful Lorna, a young mother who is doing her best to be a good mother whilst bottling up a lot of pain and trying to put on a stiff upper lip for her daughter. Her monologue at the end is stirring, and the relationships between her and her daughter - as well as her and her late mother - are explored effectively. Olivia Pentelow makes her professional stage debut as Mila. Pentelow is believable as a 16 year old, characterising the role very well. She is likeable and relatable from the first moment, making the moments when the relationship between her and her mother is challenged even more impactful. Both Henderson and Pentelow demonstrate impeccable comic timing, whilst also showing incredible range throughout the play. Credit to Casting Consultant Becky Paris for assembling such a perfect cast.

Wish You Weren’t Here is a timely piece of theatre, touching on many key issues of today’s society. The show is touring the UK, and will also be visiting schools along the way, so hopefully many people will be able to see this show and engage with the conversations with that the show begins.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Jacob Bush

Wish You Weren’t Here plays at Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse until 10 February before touring. For more information, please click here.