Are you there, Mother? – Etcetera Theatre

A dying mother, a grieving daughter and a jobbing actor/stand-up/drag artist come together in this dark, witty comedy written and performed by Thomas Carruthers.  Lured by the possibility of actually making some money, Vincent agrees to pass Martha’s daughter a message after her death. Martha, a strong-willed and persuasive woman, plays on his emotions using the fact of her imminent death, until Vincent reluctantly agrees to do this as an act of kindness to bring the daughter peace at her mother’s passing. 

After Martha dies, Vincent feigns psychic abilities to “channel” Martha and pass on the message. Rather than being a one-off event, Vincent is increasingly drawn into the daughter’s manipulations in her desire to keep the supposed connection with her mother. The deception continues as he finds it ever harder to escape the daughter’s clutches, over time developing a deeper and more troubling relationship.  Is this relationship symbiotic?  Has Vincent totally lost his tenuous grip on reality?

This tale of three very flawed individuals is a clever mixture of stand-up, observational comedy and character study. The trajectory of the narrative feels a tad obvious, but is nevertheless extremely well-presented. It’s a dark tale while also being uplifting and hilarious.  All three personalities are broadly played by Carruthers, a charismatic and compelling performer with a sharp eye for detail and comic timing. Carruthers is clearly a talented performer, who we can expect to see more of in future.

Are you there, Mother? was presented at the Etcetera Theatre as part of the Camden Fringe Festival. Tickets for all the Camden Fringe shows are on sale at:

Camden Fringe runs from 3rd – 30th August 2026, https://camdenfringe.com/

Reviewer: Carole Gordon

Reviewed: 13th August 2026

North West End UK / Theatre Muse UK Rating: