★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Reviewer - Bronagh

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review

How do you grieve for somebody who hasn’t died? That is the key question presented to the audience of My Dear Aunty Nell by Tommy, who used to spend his Sundays at Nell’s house enjoying a Sunday roast.

Camden Peoples Theatre transforms into a cosy living room and kitchen, where both Tommy and Nell – played by the brilliant Anthony Psalia – reminisce on the past, all while cooking a meal which the audience is invited to share at the end. From Nell’s first trip to Pride, to tales of cottageing to Tommy overcoming his addictions, a huge scope of topics and emotions are explored. I truly felt engrossed throughout the performance and found the characters very likeable and very real. There were moments where lines were forgotten or stumbled upon; I’m not sure if this was on purpose or genuine mistakes but it didn’t take anything away from the show. If anything, it reminded the audience that the purpose of the show was to explore real life experiences that people have.

Points of My Dear Aunty Nell has the perfect balance of funny and emotional. There were plenty of laugh out loud moments, which was really heart warming. I felt a real sense of community in the audience, more so than I have at any other show. There were other moments where you could hear a pin drop, the raw emotion and vulnerability felt throughout the room. Tommy and Anthony played their parts perfectly and are a true credit to queer theatre.

The setting felt intimate and a safe space for the stories to be told. From the familiarity of Kylie Minogue vinyls, the dining room table and of course, the kitchen, the whole set up was glorious. My only criticism, and this is no way a reflection on the show, is that the space did start to feel rather hot, especially with the cooking. I would love to see this in a bigger space, perhaps with more ventilation. Being invited to enjoy the food cooked was a brilliant touch and again, made the space feel so safe and homely (as well as avoiding food waste!). The food cooked was actually tasty too, which made it all even better!

Overall, I truly loved My Dear Aunty Nell and couldn’t recommend it more! A brilliantly gorgeous production, telling stories that need to be heard far and wide.

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