Review: FOREVER HOME, Oran Mor, Glasgow

Forever Home is the first play to be staged in the Oran's Mor's A Play, A Pie and A Pint Autumn/Winter season. Written by Pauline Lockhart and Alan Penman, Forever Home is a co-production with Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Ayr Gaiety. 

Caitlin (Kirsty Findlay) has just turned sixteen and hasn't come home from school. Her mum (Christina Strachan) is frantic and trying to think of where she could be. She tells the police officer (Chloe Hodgson- who also covers multiple roles) that there has recently been some trouble at school which could have prompted her to run away.

Caitlin was adopted by her mum when she was little and now that she's sixteen she can access the information about her birth parents. It transpires that Caitlin has already found them online and has been communicating with her birth mother and planning to meet up. She's acting out at school and has been threatened with exclusion.

Nicole is Caitlin's friend who drops round to speak to her mum about recent events at school. Nicole is every bit the bold and mouthy teenager but realises this is serious and is worried about her friend. Forever Home is a play with songs and the cast of three give excellent performances throughout. It's funny and touching and makes some excellent points about the lack of support given to teenagers- who are technically adults but still extremely vulnerable. 

Forever Home is a compassionate look at the challenges looked-after and adopted children face. As well as the usual teenage stuff, Caitlin has additional stressors in her life which is not being dealt with sensitively by the school. Kirsty Findlay plays the stroppy teen perfectly, going from full-on rage to vulnerable, cracking jokes then mortally embarrassed by everything her mum says or does. This is a great piece of theatre that easily feels like it could be adapted into something longer.

Pitlochry Festival Theatre: 11-16 September 2023
Ayr Gaiety: w/c 18 September 2023

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