Paines Plough to tour Jones’s funeral play

Published: 2 July 2024
Reporter: Steve Orme

Debra Baker, Samuel Armfield, playwright Kelly Jones, director Charlotte Bennett and Nicole Sawyerr Credit: Greta Zabulyte

Paines Plough is to take Kelly Jones’ new play My Mother’s Funeral: The Show to Edinburgh and on a UK tour.

The co-production with Colchester’s Mercury Theatre, Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre, Landmark Theatres and Northampton’s Royal and Derngate is directed by Paines Plough’s joint artistic director Charlotte Bennett.

Jones commented, “like most of my work, My Mother’s Funeral: The Show is inspired by something true: a relative passed away and we couldn’t afford a funeral.

“Naïvely, I hadn’t realised we don’t all get treated the same when we die. I’d been brought up with the old adage that death is the leveller between the classes. That’s not true: dignity comes at a high cost and those with the least have to pay the most.

“I wrote the first draft in a fury. Then I sent it to Paines Plough’s open call. They loved the script and wanted to produce it. Working with Charlotte and the Paines Plough team is an absolute dream come true. I’m beyond excited and grateful to share this funny yet unfortunately still all too relevant story.”

Bennett added, “I first met Kelly Jones through our open submissions process in 2022. From that first conversation, I knew the story she had to tell would be full of joy, anger, healing, catharsis and laughter. It has the feeling of a proper state-of-the-nation satire about those who are so often left out of the national-political conversation; whose lives are hit hardest by austerity and the cost of living (and dying) crisis. In other words, it’s a story that we need to tell right now.

“To bring this story to the stage with this incredible team to mark Paines Plough’s 50th birthday makes it even sweeter.”

The cast comprises Samuel Armfield, Debra Baker and Nicole Sawyerr. The production will feature set and costume design by Rhys Jarman, lighting design by Joshua Gadsby, sound design by Asaf Zohar, movement direction by Rachael Nanyonjo and dramaturgy by Lauren Mooney. Assistant director is Phillippe Cato, casting director is Nadine Rennie CDG, production manager is Harry Armytage for The Production Office and Roni Neale is company stage manager.

My Mother’s Funeral: The Show will preview at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry from Thursday 25 until Saturday 27 July before a run at Roundabout @ Summerhall as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

It will then tour to the Theatre Royal Plymouth, Mercury Theatre, Colchester, Bristol Old Vic, The Core at Corby Cube in Northamptonshire, Royal and Derngate in Northampton and Northern Stage, Newcastle until Saturday 12 October.

    Related listings

  • My Mother’s Funeral: The Show - Kelly Jones (Paines Plough, Mercury Theatre, Belgrade Theatre, Landmark Theatres, and Royal & Derngate, Northampton)

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