This Is My Family ★★★★ Southwark Playhouse, Elephant | May 23 - Jul 12, 2025


The title is simple and straightforward, and that says it all about this musical in which young Nicky recounts the story of her family. Her sixteen-year-old brother Matt is a Goth who is in love for the first time. Her grandmother May is starting to lose her memory. Father Steve is going through a middle-age crisis and is trying to recapture his youth while facing the prospects of a new job. Aunt Sian has yet another new man in her life, and Yvonne, Nicky's under-appreciated and overwhelmed mother, is desperately trying to hold both herself and the family together. There is nothing particularly new here, and the characters are all fairly well-known to us. But sometimes, it is the very predictability of the people and the familiarity of the plot that provides what we are looking for. The romcom's plot is trite, and we know the adventure film is going to end with the triumph of good over evil, but if done well, they can be very satisfying. This Is My Family has a story that echoes enough of the audiences' own experience, while lacing it with a lot of gentle humour and omitting any real trauma, that it does its job quite perfectly. All of the performances are strong, and Gemma Whelan and Michael Jibson definitely ring true as the beleaguered in-between generation, while Gay Soper does a lovely turn as Grandmother May. If there are shortcomings with this production, they are with the venue itself. The acoustics are frequently challenging. Music sometimes overwhelms the dialogue and speeches are lost through fuzzy amplification. Sightlines on the side seats are challenging, and it is difficult to imagine how the direction could deal with this issue. Such issues aside, however, This Is My Family works. It is not a production that challenges the audience musically or intellectually, but like a good home cooked meal, it hits the spot and is thoroughly satisfying.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Mark Senior

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: 1 Dante Pl, London SE11 4RX, UK

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