Writers/Directors: Georgina Egan, Corinne Robinson
You Know My Mum is a totally unique show, one that is totally different from any other you are likely to see. EGO’s Creative Academy provides training to disabled and neurodivergent adults with the aim that some may become professional actors and the actors were part of the creative process of this, the EGO’s most ambitious project.
What makes the play so unique is, for one thing, the number of actors, 15 in all, filling the stage, all taking parts suited to their ability and joining with relish in the ensemble movement sections. Then there is the beautiful and ingenious set. The production uses professionals in lighting and design, and Elin Steele (designer) and Hayley Egan (video design) seem to be the main people among a list of eight. An arch with attractive designs of tree and sky dominates the proceedings (plus a double bed), but, as the play progresses the arch comes to life, with the words taking their place alongside moving images reflecting the action. And there’s also Tim Egan’s music, a sort of rock-come-country mix, performed live by Egan and Mahendra Patel.
The hour’s running time is smoothly, even slickly, organised, but is full of surprises. After a magpie has a great time throwing the blue tits’ eggs away, a little family group of blue tits emerges, greeting the newborn (Alex Phillips). Then suddenly a rooster crows: it’s Earl Hackle (Kieran Palmer) who’s been everywhere as a country singer: his cigar box guitar (match box actually) is a delight, as are the odd instruments of his band. There is a general sense of silly comedy about the show, but one of the abrupt changes of tone comes in Earl’s song about the evils of Man; the ecology message is never far away.
Then it’s the turn of Conor Tyrrell as the Wing Commander gull. The birds are to strike back, he says, and he has a formidable posse of committed activists: the Mockingbird, mocking all the Wing Commander’s terms, is an inspiration. Throughout this section the actors have huge fun imitating gulls, crows, etc. At this point, some 40 minutes in, Bluey decides to make her bid for freedom, but, not having been taught right from left, heads onto the main road and meets her end.
This is a good time to put in a word about Alex Phillips. She is a long-standing member of EGO and, since her mother’s untimely death in 2016, she has wished to bring her story to the stage – and this is it. She and her father find Bluey’s remains and bury them, then in various ways Alex remembers her mother: she helps her fight off dangers in a bad dream, Alex remembers her in a memory box and (most important of all) groups of people tell Alex what her mother meant to them – hence the title of the play.
Finally it’s the sincerity of Alex Phillips’ performance that one remembers. There’s no hope of listing all the cast, but Kieran Palmer and Conor Tyrrell overplay stylishly, in contrast Francis Stojsavijevic is a sweetly affectionate dad and Andrea Daly does wonders as a BSL-literate squirrel.
Similarly the numbers of people involved in the production bewilder the eye. All one says is – it works.
Reviewed on 13th June 2025, and touring
