Abigail’s mum is dead. But it turns out she can’t afford her to be.
Did you know how expensive it is to die? It’s £4000 for the funeral. Extra for flowers. And even more if you want sausage rolls. Otherwise, she will get a council funeral and an unmarked grave.
Then, when a theatre suddenly pulls out of Abigail’s new project, she is asked to write about something else. Something more raw, from her ‘unique working class lens.’ Something that will make the audience feel really, really bad about themselves. Audiences like that, apparently.
Yep. To afford the funeral, she has to write about her mum.
Winner of the Scotsman Fringe First at the Edinburgh Festival 2024, with power and playfulness, Kelly Jones’s new play tackles the inequalities around death, and the cost of turning your loved ones into art.
A Paines Plough, Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Mercury Theatre Colchester production.
Originally produced by Paines Plough, Mercury Theatre, Belgrade Theatre, Landmark Theatres, and Royal & Derngate, Northampton.
My Mother’s Funeral: The Show was originally commissioned by the Mercury Theatre Colchester, enabled by a grant from the New Play Commission Scheme, a project set up by the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, UK Theatre and the Independent Theatre Council, and funded by Arts Council England, the Theatre Development Trust and donations from actors, directors, playwrights and producers.
My Mother’s Funeral: The Show was developed with the support of the National Theatre’s Generate programme.
Age guidance: 14+
Content: Strong language.
Trigger warning: Deals with the topic of bereavement.
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