Grief does crazy things to people and Yes, We’re Related explores the different reactions of two sisters to the loss of their mother on the first-year anniversary of her death.
The play starts with the three actors emerging from the audience and raving whilst in squirrel masks. It was an entertaining, albeit odd, start to the show which I
Sara wakes from sleeping in a tent in the siblings’ mother’s old house before her serious sister, Saskia, and her dopey boyfriend, Mark, arrive to help set up the party Saskia has organised to mark the first death anniversary.
When questioned about the noise coming from her bedroom, Sara confesses that there is a squirrel living in there. The play suggests that the squirrel is a metaphor for their dead mum as Sara discusses not wanting to let him go and doing anything to keep him, as well as listing the five stages of grief, despite not recognising herself that this is what they are.
The play is chaotic at points, poignantly depicting the emotions of the bereaved. There were some really beautiful moments which really captured how differently people respond to grief; whilst Saskia makes a huge change – dumping her boyfriend of 10 years – Sara is desperate to maintain some semblance of what used to be – hugely upset over her sister’s break up and holding onto her mum’s ashes. The anger that the the siblings had towards each other and reality of grief often pulling families apart, instead of closer together, was really well done.
Although all three actors were fantastic, I felt that Mark’s part was often redundant, and the play would have been just as powerful – perhaps even more so – with just the two sisters. If the play had solely focused on their relationship post loss, I feel it would have given room to explore their emotions further.
The title of the show is not doing it justice and the show is more of a drama than a comedy. I believe a clearer link to grief in the title and a rebranding of the show is needed to showcase the real message of this piece.
Reviewer: Rebecca Foster
Reviewed: 12th August 2024
North West End UK Rating:
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