Edinburgh 2022: Review: JESUS, JANE, MOTHER & ME, Pleasance Dome

Jesus, Jane, Mother and Me is a tragicomedy with more parts tragedy than humour. Daniel, perpetually branded as a 'strange boy', lives with his mother. They have a difficult relationship until they take a trip to a music gig together and form a mutual obsession with Jane McDonald. Bonded over their super fandom, Daniel is grateful for this new facet of their relationship until his Mum's behaviour makes it all go awry...

Jack Stokes as Daniel Valentine is hypnotic and intense, and his performance is flawless. He hits the right note in every single word of Philip Stokes' script. Craig Lomas' set design is decadently chaotic, appropriately facilitating the excess that comes with Daniel and his depth of feeling and his obsessions. At 70 minutes, the show felt a little arduous in the middle. The play balances tension and levity well, so perhaps it feels more obvious when your emotional investment takes a little dip.

Nevertheless, hyper-focused on tricky familial relationships, Jesus, Jane, Mother and Me places the spotlight on a vital societal narrative to illuminate. When systems fail families, individuals are left behind. Daniel and his mother can't be saved by religion or by Jane McDonald. This play fills you with heartache and urges your humanity and compassion.

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