Review: Miss Myrtle's Garden (Bush Theatre)

Review by Sam Waite

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If I were to tell you that one of my favourite plays this year chiefly found its titular character, a dignified older woman, building complex connections with a younger relative in a circular garden set, you may not be surprised. No, the surprise would come from the clarification that I haven't spent my Friday night in the West End, and that Dame Imelda Staunton didn't factor into this personal favourite – at the Bush Theatre, another rounded garden hosts another stirring family drama, in the shape of Danny James King’s breathtaking Miss Myrtle’s Garden. 

As the play begins, Miss Myrtle is hosting a visit from her grandson Rudy and his flatmate Jason. Flatmates is the story he's sticking with, and he assures his nan that plenty of friends are planning to buy houses together in this economy, especially with how much their rent has jumped up. Soon enough Miss Myrtle has moved the pair into her top floor, Irish neighbour Eddie has been roped into tending her garden, and Rudy’s taken creative liberties with his and Jason’s story – what he doesn't realise is that Miss Myrtle has secrets of her own, and that his connection to their family history may be more tenuous than he'd hoped.

As the “discreet” lovers, Michael Ahomka-Lindsay and Elander Moore are effortlessly charming, a believably settled-in relationship whose affectionate moments are instinctive and intimate. As secrets on all fronts expose cracks in them as a pair and as individuals, both actors effectively break before our eyes, forgoing emotional outbursts for quieter and more aching moments of struggle. Likewise, Mensah Bediako, the subject of an early reveal as Miss Myrtle’s husband Melrose, carries himself with a quiet dignity which allows for a depth of emotion in his scenes without overplaying his hand.

These grounded, deeply human performances perfectly match King’s writing, which allows dynamics to come across in their own time and keeps exposition to what is strictly needed for the play to work. With some heavy and difficult subjects around sexuality, ageing, illness and grief, King brings a great deal of sensitivity to the text and has created characters whose struggles are relatable, believable, snd painfully familiar. There's also plenty of laughs to be had, with teacher Rudy’s habit of correcting verbiage and Miss Myrtle’s vicious tongue, not to mention some snappy retorts courtesy of Jason, and the well-placed references to life in a British Caribbean household.  

Eddie, the hard-drinking widower down the street, is given a rich and sensitive portrayal courtesy of Gary Lilburn. He is mostly an amiable, friendly visitor to the family unit but develops a firm connection with Miss Myrtle, something which builds towards a dynamic, shattering crescendo towards the end of his performance. Of course, the most triumphant performance among an astounding cast comes from Miss Myrtle herself, the extraordinary Diveen Henry. Her comedic timing and delivery of a cutting one-liner are top-notch, and serve only to strengthen her thrilling switches into a state of fear and anguish as the character must navigate grief alongside her reluctance to lose the life she has known. In a small company of five stars, it is the moving dynamic between Henry and Ahomka-Lindsay which shines brightest.

The Bush Theatre’s next artistic director, Taio Lawson approaches the material with the tender hands required, drawing out these textured performances while discouraging anything too grandiose or performative. His sense of space is immediately clear, with it never in doubt which parts of the surroundings exist in which direction from the garden, one entrance firmly established as the back door of the house and another as the gate to the street beyond. Helping bring more authenticity to Lawson’s production are the invaluable efforts of Dr. Nathasia M. Muwanigwa as Dementia Consultant, and Botanical Consultant Coral Wylie, whose own garden-centric Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet, Yew premiered at the same venue earlier this year.

As the title suggests, the garden itself is central to the storytelling both in setting and emotional gravitas, and here it is brought to charming life by Khadija Raza, whose appealing set becomes more vivid as the plot moves along, the plants are tended, and the relationships deepen. With the time of day dictated through Joshua Gadsby’s well-calibrated lighting, Raza’s work is breathtaking long before the performance begins, and proves the perfect canvas for Lawson and King’s visions – not to mention how well it serves the Intimacy and Movement direction of Yarit Dor, the final puzzle piece of the immaculate and varied characterisations on display.

A touching piece of theatre which tugs at the heartstrings and finds new honesty in well-worn story beats, Miss Myrtle’s Garden is a family drama so unique to its characters and creators, but undeniably relatable and accessible for anyone who attends. Another fine addition to the Bush Theatre’s canon, this is also a promising sign of what is to come with Taio Lawton's tenure as Artistic Director. Miss Myrtle’s Garden is, by every metric, a triumph.

Miss Myrtle’s Garden plays at the Bush Theatre until July 12th

For tickets and information visit https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/event/miss-myrtles-garden/

Photos by Camilla Greenwell