one4review | On 10, Aug 2019

Lung Ha’s latest play is set in Salford, where the number of children caring for parents has reached shocking levels. The drama is based on actual testimonies, which makes what unfolds in front of us even more heart breaking. Connor, Nicole and Jade are all carers for their parents. The play follows a day in their life as they get ready for school whilst seeing to their parents (and elder brother in Jade’s case), their trip to school, their coping mechanisms when at school, their battles with doctors and pharmacists and then what awaits them at home. There are many funny moments, Nicole in particular is a live wire, but their lives are a reflection of a system gone wrong. An underage carer is unpaid and often ignored when their charge’s health and wellbeing are being discussed. When life becomes unbearable and the carers lash out, their misdemeanours are often dismissed as bad behaviour with schools failing to scratch under the surface to find out why they are behaving as they do. The 3 actors also take on the roles of social worker, politicians and parents to give further strength to the underlying argument of the play.
I cannot recommend this play highly enough – Luke Grant (Connor), Lizzie Mounter (Nicole) and Jessica Temple (Jade) do great justice to the subject matter and received a standing ovation at the performance I attended. The more upbeat ending was tempered by a tragic afterword and I could hear (very) audible sniffing behind me. Please go and see this – your sense of justice will be outraged, and so it should be. This is vital and important theatre.

Reviewed by Rona

6.20pm

Summerhall

Until 25th August (not 12th)