REVIEW: “Oh My Child, My Child”

Tony Homer reviews “Oh My Child, My Child”,  a production by Copernicana and firstlight theatre at the Bear Pit, Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Write what you know is a good rule of thumb. Write about what you feel requires an emotional connection. Write to keep the stories alive for fear of them vanishing. Storytelling is at the heart of Danny Masewicz’s new play, the last in ‘A Polish Trilogy’. And he has all three elements at the heart of what is a combination of a dramatic piece of theatre and theatrical documentary. The individual histories of nine refugees from Poland have been adapted for the stage after a series of extensive interviews with Polish residents in Stratford upon Avon. In fact our setting is the Public Library, a popular meeting place for local groups.

And the play within the play which contains these real life stories has Danny Masewicz both on stage inhabiting a variety of characters as well as Eliot Gear portraying Danny himself. Danny, the historian shall we call him, is speaking with survivors of the Second World War to capture their experiences and try to piece together his own history. Jolanta (Lynda Liddament), Magdalena (Jacquie Campbell) and Teresa (Pamela Hickson) all moved to Stratford after the war.

Their journeys from Siberia, India and Russia are vividly told as each character shows their younger selves and the events that led to their escape from Poland. There is a projector screen above the stage which allows for changes in location. And a door frame which each of the refugees steps through in order to commence their story. The actors sit at the back of the stage each waiting their turn to participate but also to allow them to return to the present day in the library. All the while our Danny is watching and learning and piecing together what might be the truth about his mother.

There is particularly excellent work from Justin Osborne, Sheena Ison and Ash Hayward who pick up the bulk of the various supporting and leading characters. Joanna Staveley is wonderful as the young Felicja, setting the tone for the children’s stories as she yearns to be an animal or run around with a red cape. We see all of them from their childhood to adulthood. 

As for the real Danny Masewicz and his search for the mother he lost, we are given the story in reverse. Alice Edwards portrays Iza with serenity right from the start as she opens the play singing a Polish lullaby. Her story unfolds cleverly with the introduction of a fourteen year old Iza (Emilka Szczepanska) at a lakeside. Full credit to Richard Ball for providing a range of lighting from red, green, blue and natural. The music too is hauntingly beautiful.

Whilst each of the stories has a similarity which can occasionally bring brief confusion, to this reviewer, Masewicz has produced a piece of theatre worthy of all the Polish community. He has a real command of the stage that with other actors might show up their shortcomings, but with this cast there are no weak links. Each and everyone brings a level of confidence and honesty to their parts which pays tribute to the writer, director and actor Graham Tyrer who now can fully identify as Danny Masewicz and bring his own story to light.

Runs until Saturday 12th July at The Bearpit Theatre, Stratford.