January blues? Exams over? Maybe you need a holiday! If you’re not able to get away for a short break before university begins again, maybe you should go to Sheffield Theatres, and let the performers go away for you.
Wish You Weren’t Here is a story about a mother and daughter who go on a holiday to Scarborough following the completion of Mila’s GCSEs. Despite her best efforts, Lorna is unable to get her daughter interested or excited in anything on their trip, with their relationship frosty at best. But as all the pressures of being a teenage girl mount and come to a head on the trip, the pair are forced to face the reality that they’re both under more pressure than the other accepts, and it’s about to bring their trip crashing down.
This show had a good story, great performances but also felt a little rushed in certain places, and extended in others. We spend a good half of the show going through the motions of setting up this dynamic between mother and daughter, which was comedic and exciting, watching these two interact as many teenagers do with their parents…until it wasn’t. Despite seeing it build throughout, the shift from what was essentially a comedy piece to this raw, emotional performance happened almost instantaneously. Whilst there was a catalyst to it, it felt somewhat rushed, especially given the length of time dedicated to getting to that point, which was complemented by the range of issues the story covered that were never explored in much depth. I enjoyed the use of the minimal set and small screens behind the main performance area. They kept all of the attention on the performers but gave an extra dimension when needed without being distracting.
The two-person cast of this show consisted of Eleanor Henderson as Lorna and Olivia Pentelow as Mila. Henderson’s performance as this overworked but positive mother figure is in a word, recognisable! Everyone will see her performance and think of people in their own lives, constantly looking for the next Facebook picture or doing something slightly embarrassing. Her role is an incredibly powerful one, with her character keeping lots of thoughts and feelings away from the spotlight, which Henderson does extremely well, making the eventual transition all the more painful. Pentelow’s Mila is similarly such a typical reincarnation of the ‘teenager’ persona, as this politically aware, phone-addicted person who doesn’t always consider what her mother does for her. Especially with the passing of her Nan, she gives an emotionally charged performance, particularly in the second half that leaves audiences in tears. A great cast all round!
Wish You Weren’t Here is a dark emotional performance looking at the often-strained relationships that exist beneath the surface in families everywhere. Whilst its structure and several story elements didn’t work for me, it’s a fantastic performance that’s sure to leave you in tears.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Wish You Weren’t Here is playing at the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse until February 10th
