📍Drayton Arms Theatre, London

⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐

Frances Moore Fahey’s new one-woman play is a funny, charming and moving tale of an Irish family coming to terms with grief. Set at the funeral of Declan Murphy, his beloved niece Sinéad tries to accept the fact that he is gone after dying unexpectantly, whilst simultaneously having to deal with her extended (and extensive) family – each of whom appears to be more outrageous than the last. As the weekend of the funeral unfolds, however, it becomes clear that Declan’s death was not necessarily a freak accident, as Sinéad confronts the Murphy’s unfortunate past, all whilst trying to find Declan’s favourite blue slippers that he once asked to be buried in.

The Drayton Arms Theatre is intimate, and upon arrival into the space Sinéad – played by Grace Cunningham – greets the audience at the foot of her uncle’s coffin. Ania Levy’s set is minimalist in style, save for a covered mirror (the family, it turns out, are very superstitious and fear that Declan’s spirit could get stuck if any mirror remains exposed) and a small set of drawers. The space comes to life throughout the play, with various prop and costume items springing from these drawers, or from atop the coffin, to represent different characters and moments; this use of space drives the energy, ensuring the audience are captivated for every moment. The coffin is the central piece – confronting the audience and mimicking the imposition it has upon Sinéad. The white curtains framing the stage are used intermittently as a projection wall, and home-video style footage plays in montage to underpin certain moments, breathing further life into the Murphy family and adding to the sense of intimacy and connection you feel with Sinéad as she grapples with the difficulty of the funeral and wake.

If the concept thus far sounds bleak – it is far from. Frances Moore Fahey’s script provides a laugh a minute; the various (and numerous!) characters of the Murphy family are written as both hilariously caricatured, yet strikingly three-dimensional. The rich tapestry of the Murphy family is expertly performed by Grace Cunningham, who commands the space with such presence and finesse that you’d be forgiven for forgetting it is indeed one woman bouncing between each role and not an ensemble of actors. Her Sinéad is funny, affected and deeply relatable as someone struggling to find their place amidst a large and raucous family hiding secrets from the past. Cunningham draws you in to the Murphy’s world – showcasing a stirring and understated vulnerability alongside a dry and quick wit as Sinéad. But what’s even more impressive is how quickly she can shift from well-meaning but buffoonish American uncle Ronald, or moody cousin Siobhan, before immediately taking an emotional turn back into our protagonist. An outstanding performance.

Funeral Sandwiches has the air of a coming-of-age story, as Sinéad slowly grows to accept her wild family, and learn to forgive her mother for events in the past. Every emotional beat hits perfectly throughout as we piece together the somewhat mysterious past of the Murphy’s, every piece of the puzzle delivered in a fashion which sweeps the audience into a grip and doesn’t let go until the final moments. Though the denouement is poignant and moving, it felt a little rushed – however, this could just feel the case as the story and characters are so intricately-developed throughout the first 70 minutes on stage, and truthfully, I could have lived in Sinéad’s world for hours longer. Ultimately, Funeral Sandwiches is exquisite storytelling, and the combination of writing, directing and acting here captures the audience in its vivid and moving narrative. This play marks Wrong ‘Un Theatre’s debut, and it is an absolute triumph – I can’t wait to see what this company does next. Now, excuse me while I campaign for the Murphys to have their own TV series…

🎟️Funeral Sandwiches plays until February 15th at the Drayton Arms Theatre

Tickets and information: https://www.thedraytonarmstheatre.co.uk/funeral-sandwiches#:~:text=A%20dark%2C%20funny%20and%20deeply,past%20refuses%20to%20let%20go%3F&text=Content%20Warnings%3A%20Mature%20Themes%20and,References%20to%20Depression%20and%20Suicide.