The REcreate Agency and Spin Arts presents the premiere of a new musical
The Good Enough Mums Club
On tour Autumn 2023
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 play Birmingham Hippodrome (25-29 Oct), Storyhouse, Chester (2-4 Nov), Norwich Theatre Playhouse (9-11 Nov), Lincoln Performing Arts Centre (16-17 Nov), MAST Mayflower Studios, Southampton (22-23 Nov) and The Lowry, Salford (30 Nov-2 Dec) http://www.goodenoughmumsclub.com/book.
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.”
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!”
Chilina Madon, Executive Director at Birmingham Hippodrome said: “As part of our commitment to developing new musicals, we’re thrilled to be welcoming Hippodrome Associates, The Good Enough Mums Club back into our Patrick Studio this October. The concert version of the musical in November 2021 was a huge hit with our audiences who really connected with this special production.”
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+.
LISTINGS
2023 TOUR VENUES
25-29 October Birmingham Hippodrome On Sale 18 July
https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com / 0844 338 5000
2-4 November Storyhouse, Chester On Sale Now
https://www.storyhouse.com / 01244 409 113
9-11 November Norwich Theatre Playhouse On Sale 19 July
norwichtheatre.org / 01603 630 000
16-17 November Lincoln Performing Arts Centre On Sale Now
https://lincolnartscentre.co.uk / 01522 837600
22-23 November MAST Mayflower Studios, Southampton On Sale 21 July
https://www.mayflowerstudios.org.uk / 02380 711811
30 November – 2 December The Lowry, Salford On Sale Now
https://thelowry.com / 0161 876 2000
Title of Show: The Good Enough Mums Club
Box Office: Visit http://www.goodenoughmumsclub.com/book for a list of venue websites.
Running time: 2 hours with a 20-minute interval
Category: theatre, musical theatre
Content warnings: bad language, sexual references, child loss, postnatal depression, postnatal psychosis, racism and loneliness.
Children & baby policy options: The Good Enough Mums Club welcomes children under 4 to its special baby & child friendly matinees (evening performances are strictly 12+). These matinees are a more relaxed and family-friendly experience. For more information about these, visit http://www.goodenoughmumsclub.com/book