Double Emmy award-winning American actress Dorothy Lyman brings her autobiographical story Violet and Me to the Edinburgh Fringe 2023. The story of her mother and the turbulent relationship between them.
Not everyone is destined to be a mother and as she looks into Violet’s life she realises that Violet was probably very restricted and frustrated with domestic life and felt unfulfilled and trapped therefore releasing her temper and lashing out at times.
From a career woman to being supported by her husband and not allowed to work, as women often didn’t back in the 1950s and 60s. The adjustment cannot have been an easy one relinquishing her independence.
In the way Violet behaved it would be understandable if she had been bitter towards her mother growing up. As she has aged I felt she realises that Life isn’t as straightforward as you believe it to be when you’re a child.
She reflects on how she behaved as a mother herself. To begin with a stay-at-home Mom and then her choice to pursue her career. Which meant leaving her husband Alex with their two children. Sadly Being a famous actress at the time her story hit the headlines portraying her in a bad light for leaving them.
Motherhood is not a one-size-fits-all role and perhaps some people are not destined to be married or to have children instead to have careers and to follow their dreams and to be the person that they choose to be instead of the person that society has mapped out for them.
Violet and Me certainly is a touching play where Lyman is paying the respect to her Mother that she deserves.
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Four Stars
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