Book & Lyrics: Emily Beecher
Music: Verity Quade and Chris Passey
Directed by Sarah Meadows and Michelle Payne
The REcreate Agency and Spin Arts presents the premiere of The Good Enough Mums Club – a poignant and hilarious new musical which is based on women’s own stories of motherhood. It has been produced, written, directed and performed by mums.
The Autumn 2023 tour will head to Norwich Theatre Playhouse between 9 – 11 Nov. The show goes on sale today (17 Jul) for Gold Friends, Supporters and Corporates, Friends on 18 Jul and to the general public on 19 Jul.
Not perfect? Join the club! From peeing on sticks to drooping tits, The Good Enough Mums Club is both a hysterical and heartbreaking show which shares the love and dispels the myths with enough wipes to mop the tears and clean away the snotty laughter.
When the Council threatens to close their local playgroup, five women thrown together by motherhood overcome their isolation, loneliness, judgement and perfectionism to discover that they’re stronger as a group than as individuals, and that sometimes, being good enough is best.
Emily Beecher, an award-winning Co-Creative Director, writer, producer, performer, story consultant and proud single mama to Maisie, is the creator and Founding Mother of The Good Enough Mums Club – a musical that grew out of her experience with severe postnatal depression and postnatal psychosis. At the prompting of her therapist, Beecher began to journal her experiences while juggling the demands of a newborn. During 2014, a short community workshop version of The Good Enough Mums Club played to sold-out audiences. In the following years the team reworked the musical by meeting mothers from all over the country – from a mosque in Birmingham, to a pub in Leeds, to a school in the shadow of Grenfell – collecting their stories to ensure the show represents a variety of experiences of motherhood.
With a book & lyrics by Emily Beecher and music by Verity Quade, Chris Passey, The Good Enough Mums Club is directed by Sarah Meadows and Michelle Payne. The cast is to be announced.
Emily Beecher, co-producer and writer of the Book & Lyrics, said: “I’m delighted that after 10 years of working on the show, of speaking to hundreds of mothers across the country, we are bringing the full production to these fantastic venues and to mums all over England. We are leading the way with our family-friendly working policies, which includes job shares, family friendly accommodation and children welcome in our rehearsal rooms. We truly believe no one should have to choose between having a family and doing what they love.”
Dr Jess Heron, CEO, Action on Postpartum Psychosis, said: “It’s so important to raise public awareness of postpartum psychosis – a severe postnatal mental illness that affects around 1400 new mums in the UK each year. It often strikes without warning, and urgent help is needed. Seeing experiences brought to life on the stage in such a hopeful and reassuring way, as is the case with The Good Enough Mums Club, is invaluable in helping women and families to feel less alone and more able to identify symptoms and ask for help.”
Speaking about the new show Wendy Ellis Creative Programmes Director at Norwich Theatre, said:
“I am genuinely excited to have this fabulous piece of work come to Norwich Theatre Playhouse. Not only is this really funny and touching it truly reflects the joy and challenges of being a new mum.
“It is incredibly important to ensure our audiences see themselves reflected and give voices to those stories that aren’t always told. Good Enough Mums Club gives a voice to mothers at a time when they often feel most isolated.”
The production has been co-commissioned by The Lowry and Birmingham Hippodrome, with support from Arts Council England.
Matthew Eames, Head of Theatres (Contemporary and Commissioning) at The Lowry, said: “I have seen firsthand the impact of The Good Enough Mums Club and it is clear this musical has superpowers! Watching the concert version of the show was incredible and Lowry audiences more or less demanded that they get to see the whole show. We’re delighted to comply and play a role in supporting a new musical to boot!”
Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director at Arts Council England, said: “We’re delighted to support the tour of this new musical. Thanks to funding from the National Lottery, audiences will be able to share stories inspired by real mums, brought to life on the stage in this new production. A number of additional activities especially for mums, their children and those who support them, are provided alongside the production and will offer a great way for mothers and their children to make new friendships, share experiences and feel supported in their local communities.”
Visit http://www.goodenoughmumsclub.com/book to find out more about the show.. The Good Enough Mums Club welcomes children under 4 to its special relaxed baby & child friendly matinees (although if your child is at the stage where they repeat everything they hear, you might want to consider this as the show is quite sweary!). Evening performances are strictly for those 12+.
Book now!
