My Mother Said I Never Should, theatre review: Magnificent mothers are a real treat

Why on earth has My Mother Said not been revived in London since its 1989 Royal Court debut? Charlotte Keatley’s drama is, after all, no small matter: it’s the most performed play ever by a female playwright. Whisper it softly so the patriarchy doesn’t hear, but could it be that this witty and moving examination of four generations of women in one family is somehow considered less resonant and universal than would be the same piece about four generations of men?

Whatever the reason, let’s celebrate Paul Robinson’s fine revival, which has assembled a cracking quartet of actresses, not least a never-better Maureen Lipman putting her dry humour to superb use. Lipman’s Doris morphs gradually from an emotionally distant mother of the Forties to a much more amenable great-grandmother to Rosie (a lovely performance of wide-eyed enthusiasm from Serena Manteghi). Livewire Katie Brayben, as Doris’s granddaughter Jackie, confirms the tremendous promise of her work in the musical Beautiful last year.

The script initially skips playfully about through the decades, underscoring the repeated tug of dreams versus reality, career versus motherhood down the generations. Keatley notes with rueful tenderness how the best of intentions aren’t always enough, as maternal lines of communication get so easily tangled with deep-seated consequences for all parties. A real treat.

Until May 21, St James (0844 264 2140)

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