The Longer My Mother Is Dead the More I Like Her is written and performed by Deborah Unger. As with every Edinburgh Fringe, there are plenty of plays written and performed that talk about dysfunctional relationships with parents and family whether they are dead or alive. In this particular play, both of her parents have now died.

Unger splits the performance at times by taking on the role of her mother discussing her daughter’s behaviour, especially when she was a teenager. It’s set up to allow both sides of the story to be told.

Although from the title, I expected something a bit more hard-hitting about their relationship and to have been moved. I found the play to have been written out of respect for her mother, and there’s a fair amount of focus on her close relationship with her father which no doubt led to some of the strain put onto her relationship with her mother.

There’s a whole other life and first marriage that her mother had before Deborah and her sister were born. She stumbles upon this revelation one day when she finds her mothers initials on a case with a different letter at the end from her name now. However, her mother refused to talk about things and told her it was nothing to do with her.

The play highlights how much trauma and not being to communicate with each other as a family can drive wedges and divisions between them. The refusal to discuss certain things can be build up resentments that end up never going away. Just because you are related, it doesn’t mean you will ever properly know or understand each other.

There’s a lot to digest in this particular play, and for anyone who has a dysfunctional family, you will recognise some of the situations that took place. I respect the amount of work and self reflection that went into writing this play, and I dare say many tears were shed during that time too.

For more information about The Longer My Mother Is Dead the More I Like Her, please use the link below.

Four Stars.

https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-longer-my-mother-is-dead-the-more-i-like-her

https://www.deborah-unger.com/deadmomtalking