This Is My Family: A Whimsical Review of Soggy Adventures
Tim Firth’s enchanting musical, This Is My Family, takes audiences on a hilariously chaotic journey during a soggy camping holiday. Premiering in 2013, this delightful production centers on family meltdowns that, while unconventional for a musical, now feel like a comforting blend of laughter and warmth.
The Characters: Relatable Quirks
The family members in this tale are delightfully over-the-top yet entirely relatable.
- Michael Jibson stars as the middle-aged father, whose adventurous spirit in free-running clashes dramatically with his DIY disasters.
- Gemma Whelan portrays the frustrated mother, who senses her marriage is drifting into stormy waters.
- Gay Soper shines as the bossy grandmother, navigating early signs of dementia, while Victoria Elliott embodies the eccentric aunt indulging in a mid-life sexual renaissance, dressed in eye-catching animal print.
At the heart of this ensemble is 13-year-old Nicky (played admirably by Nancy Allsop), the youngest family member and our melodic narrator. Nicky is desperate to mend the frayed bonds of her family, leading her to craft a wishful essay about her “perfect family.” This whimsical creation wins her a camping trip to the very woods where her parents first fell in love—a clever nod to the roots of family connections.
A Charming Setting: The Enchanted Woodland
Under the skilled direction of Vicky Featherstone, the family emerges from a whimsical, oversized dollhouse, perfectly encapsulating Nicky’s idyllic vision. The scenic woodland, highlighted by the transformative designs of Chloe Lamford, evokes the enchanting essence of Shakespeare’s forest of Arden. While magic may elude them, comic mishaps and touching transformations surely persist.
As the story unfolds, family tension and heartache are swept away, rounding off with an uplifting resolution that might feel a tad predictable but ultimately leaves audiences with a warm afterglow.
Musical Brilliance: Heartfelt Tunes and Harmonies
What elevates This Is My Family beyond mere TV comedy are its engaging musical numbers. Each character expresses their innermost feelings through song, accompanied by a gentle backdrop of harp and cello. The vocal dynamics—characters overlapping in song—illustrate the tangled emotional threads connecting them.
Whelan’s performances brim with dry humor, while Allsop’s voice enchants with its clarity. The collective choral pieces hit soaring heights, breathing life into this tale of middle-English emotional repression. Through song, this family becomes refreshingly open, and even vulnerable, challenging the typically stiff upper lip of their background.
A Sweet Conclusion: Nourishing the Soul
Though some moments may veer into twee territory and the pacing occasionally drags, the culmination of this musical melodrama undeniably warms the heart. This Is My Family tenderly embraces the complexity of family life, charmfully navigating through chaos to reveal the beauty in connection.
Catch the Show!
Don’t miss your chance to experience this delightful production. This Is My Family is currently showing at Southwark Playhouse Elephant in London until 12 July. Whether you’re a fan of musicals or simply looking for a cozy night out, this whimsical journey through familial love promises to leave you with a smile.
