Miss Myrtle's Garden ★★★ Bush Theatre | May 31 - Jul 12, 2025


This premiere of Danny James King's play has much to recommend it. There are some nicely drawn characters and some very strong performances. The show is dominated, however, by Diveen Henry's portrayal of the indomitable Miss Myrtle. Playing the judgemental, sharp-tongued matriarch, Henry reigns over the stage in the same way that Myrtle strives to control her world, her garden, and all the people who enter her life. From Myrtle's late husband, Melrose, to her grandson, Rudy, and including their drunken neighbour, Eddie, Miss Myrtle sets a standard of behaviour that is very high, and often unattainable. She is both a force of nature and a force to be reckoned with. King's portrait of her is a delight, but there is so much more we would like to know about her. We never really get to the heart of what makes this fascinating character the way she is. Instead, we are given lots of other narrative threads, several of which are never fully developed. What is the mystery behind Myrtle's estrangement from her son? What happened to Rudy's mother? Will the family lose the house to debt collectors? There is a lot going on here, and on top of these potential plotlines there are also the issues of Rudy's relationship with his boyfriend, his unsatisfied curiosity about the past, plus Myrtle's worrisome forgetfulness. It sometimes seems that this garden is a bit out of control. There needs to be some paring and focusing. Nevertheless, Miss Myrtle's Garden is a place that brings a lot of laughter and some touching moments of melancholy to those who are privileged to visit it.

Rated: ★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Camilla Greenwell

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: 7 Uxbridge Rd, London W12 8LJ, UK

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