I hadn’t planned it on purpose, but my first three shows on the 10th all had a death/grief theme.

“I’m Mom” is a story about the loss of a mother who wouldn’t allow grief to happen whilst she was living. It’s a story of self-discovery amongst going through that grieving process but also understanding who that person was beyond your conceptions of them.

The show follows the process of discovering all this through acting assignments at university. Nate Wise talks to his mother and responds as her in an almost theatrical therapy session.

The show has a lot of heart and potential, but it hasn’t quite nailed what it could be yet. The last half of the show is by far the strongest, but the lead up is littered with awkward transitions and script issues. The text and delivery need a little more life. It’s far too laid back for such an in-depth and emotional subject matter. We need Wise to really build the world for us, to get a little more theatrical with the piece. The soft and chilled nature of the conversation is fine as an introduction, but it feels that we are on a flat road until Wise becomes his mother later in the play. We need it to be like Edinburgh, full of steps and hills.

It’s a good effort, but I know this could be great. I feel some development from its time at the festival will do the show a world of good. There is a great show in here, it just needs some workshopping.

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