Fringe First drama at Oxford Alchymy Festival of emerging talent

Funeral Flowers at the North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford, on Saturday, April 9. Review by Jon Lewis.

Scheduled as part of the North Wall’s annual Alchymy Festival of emerging talent, Emma Dennis-Edwards’ 2018 Fringe First winning drama Funeral Flowers wowed an audience made up of young creatives and members of Oxford’s black community. It’s a one-woman show performed by the mesmeric Sarel Madziya who plays multiple roles, but mainly that of the lead character, Angelique.

Angelique is black, seventeen and studying to be a florist in London. She has sensibly saved to start a business and get a flat. Her mother, whom she says tells lies all the time, is in prison for the second time. She does not see her absent father whom she disparagingly calls ‘a sperm donor’. Often a runaway, Angelique has stayed a while with an aunt in Southend, but now is living with her carer, Sam, who happens to be lesbian and teaches her about feminism and green politics. Angelique’s been in a relationship with Mickey, a six-foot tall wastrel ‘who’s got her back’ since year 10 when they first had sex. Mickey is in debt to a drug dealer, Rampage, whose price is sex with Angelique. The only adults Angelique has time for are her social worker, and her tutor at college, the posh, chain-smoking Carol.

Madziya dazzles as she adopts the physicality of the various characters. Mickey lolls about, face jutting, whilst Carol is always upright, her hand holding her cigarette upright, her smile fixed. Angelique has a puppyish quality, somehow overcoming traumatic events that are more disturbing for the audience to hear about than for her to talk about. She’s grown up fast, and it seems normal for her to know thugs like Rampage whose clients ‘like to have a dab’, as she says laconically.

Angelique’s life changes after a shocking night out at a party with her boyfriend. She makes a positive choice to move out of the area into sheltered accommodation and study at a different college. We see her meet her mother from prison, thoughtfully bringing a case to hide the see-through prison bag. Madziya’s performance is so complete, the audience completely onside with Angelique.

Recommended.