Mrs Brown’s Last Wedding (tour)

Irish comedian Brendan O’Carroll is a huge star in Ireland. If this madcap
production which he wrote, directs and stars in is anything to go by, it
will not be long before he is as famous here in the UK.

Agnes Brown is the matriarchal Dublin ‘mammy’ who lives for her five grown up offspring. She keeps her four sons and one daughter under control and out
of harm’s way by answering back to anyone who attempts to come between her
and her flock.

To be honest, the plot is perfunctory – this production zips along at such a
pace due to the quick fire humour and spirited lead performance by
O’Carroll that it’s very difficult to stop yourself from laughing however
rude the jokes are. Mrs Brown has a foul mouth but says what many of us are
thinking about society, the human race and parenthood, so keeps
the audience nodding with recognition.

Brendan O’ Carroll’s performance is sheer genius. Imagine the spot on
comic timing of Les Dawson – face pulling and all, combined with the
physical slapstick comedy of Father Ted and this
will give you some idea. His script crackles
with energy and even the old jokes seem like new ones in his able hands.
“She doesn’t buy yoghurt. She buys milk and stares at it” may seem tired
written here but O’Carroll takes ownership of these lines and they become
fresh.

The show tends to lose its way slightly when O’Carroll is not in a scene
but thankfully this doesn’t happen very often. The audience on the night I
attended whooped with high anticipation as soon as they saw him reappear. In
fact I haven’t heard an audience laugh so much without catching their breath
before. By the time that the second act is underway this inventive play
descends into high farce and you are left creased up on the floor.

At three hours in length, this play could lose twenty minutes although
nobody seemed to be complaining in the stalls. Mrs Brown’s antics are not
for those who are easily offended as the humour is close to the bone. The
story does have a heart though and it is really refreshing to see a comedy
that is not straitjacketed by political correctness at the expense of
the humour.

– Glenn Meads (reviewed at the Opera House, Manchester)