Review: Good For Her! (The Other Palace Studio)

Review by Ruth Sealey

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I seem to have spent quite some time recently reviewing shows exploring generational trauma, the lasting effects of parents’ choices and the impact these actions have on their families. Tonight was another journey into the complexities of a mother-daughter relationship and the consequences that ripple from it as ‘Good For Her!’ opens at The Other Palace Studio. This one-woman production invites audiences through the doors of a family home, exploring the pressures of parental expectation and the emotional ties that bind families together. 

This 75-minute play follows the life and struggles of Iris, a twenty-something aspiring actress desperate to establish her career and escape the shadow of her mother. As she faces a seemingly endless cycle of auditions and rejection, those around her encourage her to create her own opportunities by writing her own material. There is something rather fitting about watching a one-woman play written and performed by its creator tell the story of someone searching for exactly that opportunity. As the narrative shifts between past and present, the experiences that have shaped Iris and the complex relationship at the heart of the play are revealed. From the outset, it is clear that Iris’s narcissistic mother has failed in her role as a parent, constantly undermining her daughter’s confidence and belittling her ambitions. As the story unfolds, Iris is forced to confront the lasting impact of the relationship, leading her to question how she can ever break free from her mother’s dominant presence. 

Written by Mollie Semple, who also takes on the role of Iris, the play is told through direct address to the audience, with Iris responding to pre-recorded dialogue from the other characters, predominantly from her mother. It is an interesting concept, and Semple has crafted a script that is largely conversational in tone, revealing Iris’s emotions sparingly and making the moments when they surface more impactful. Semple’s strengths as a writer are especially evident when she taps into key points in Iris’s journey and, in particular, her jealousy around the perceived success of her childhood friend, Alice. Occasionally, however, the naturalistic dialogue slips. Repeating phrases and moments where Iris corrects or restarts her thoughts can draw attention to the script itself, momentarily breaking the illusion of natural conversation. 

Semple is excellent and incredibly believable as Iris, to the point where it is difficult to tell whether aspects of the story are drawn from personal experience or entirely imagined, which is a testament to her writing and performance. She skilfully balances the comedy with moments of anger, frustration and quiet resignation, creating a complex character. Iris becomes increasingly fixated on Alice’s Instagram presence, where she constantly compares her own lack of success with Alice’s achievements. There is a darkness here that Semple captures brilliantly, with Iris presenting this as perfectly normal behaviour. An encounter in a café between Alice and Iris is both awkward and unsettling as Iris fabricates her success to desperately match Alice’s achievement of performing in a play “at the Hampstead”. At times, it is difficult to like Iris; we can sympathise with her, but her obsessive behaviour is uncomfortable to witness. 

Kayla Stoke’s direction works in harmony with Semple’s performance, making effective use of the minimalistic set. There are moments when Iris almost disappears from stage, sitting silently as she watches and listens, and these are well-considered choices. The use of pre-recorded voices and background sound, from sound consultant Lonnie Ro Wade, is particularly effective in creating the sense that Iris’s mother is ever present in Iris’s life, without ever physically being on stage. However, the consistent pace of the play can also seem to make it lose momentum at points, with similar themes revisited and never resolved. Likewise, the ending did not seem to have the impact it intended and sadly feels a little flat. The direction is at its strongest when exploring the extremes of Iris’s behaviour, moments which appear infrequently but build in intensity as the play progresses. 

Supported by an internet search bar projected onto the stage, the audience gains further insight into Iris’s life, motivations and state of mind as searches appear as though typed in real time. It is simple but effective and reveals Iris’s insecurities and inner thoughts. Among my favourite searches are, “Actors who made it later in life,” followed swiftly by the addition of, “not nepo” and “Remote jobs with high paying salaries…..but no maths.” These moments bring genuine humour to the production and showcase Semple’s skill in capturing everyday thoughts that make Iris feel an authentic character.

Iris’s mother describes Iris’s dancing as “like an elephant”, swiftly pulling her from dance classes and steering her towards acting instead. Iris has been so conditioned to repeat these criticisms that it is heartbreaking to hear her echo her mother’s words as though they are her own. A slow-burning resentment towards her mother begins to emerge, and this feeling simmers beneath the surface and builds throughout. For her mother, everything becomes a drama, and Iris is left battling guilt and emotional manipulation. Iris is undoubtedly imperfect, but the lasting impact of her mother’s criticism and control is hard to ignore.

Despite some moments where the production loses momentum, Semple has created a compelling show with moments of strong writing and performance. Simple design elements and clever use of sound and visuals add further layers, enhancing Iris’s emotional journey. The conflicting feelings Iris provokes are perhaps its greatest success; she is frustrating and flawed, and yet it is impossible not to empathise with her. ‘Good For Her!’ left me reflecting on the lasting impact of family and how much the dominant voices from our childhood can shape the lives we lead as adults.

Good For Her! plays at The Other Palace Studio until 26^th July. Tickets from https://theotherpalace.co.uk/good-for-her/