Be My Baby

Published Thursday 7 June 2007 at 13:40 by Evelyn Curlet

Secluded from the outside world, four pregnant girls await the birth of their child at a mother and baby home in the north of England. All are unmarried and have been deposited here secretly to give their child up for adoption, in order to avoid the stigma of being a single mother. It might sound Victorian, but the setting for Amanda Whittington’s moving tale is the sixties, and her inspiration comes from first-hand accounts of such church-run homes.

Lisa Duffy excels as 19-year-old Mary, the heroine of the tale, reluctantly placed at the home by her concerned mother. She is compelling to watch throughout, as she first adjusts to her surroundings, bonds with the other girls, and finally has to surrender her newborn infant. Duffy makes Mary both sympathetic, caring and utterly human, running the gamut of emotions, from joy and laughter to despair and resignation.

The happier moments, of which there are several, come from the girls’ love of the chart hits of the times. Snatches of the catchy girl group hits of time appear throughout, providing much needed relief to both the girls and the audience in the otherwise grim atmosphere.

Despite a few sluggish instances - such as the girls filing off the stage in order to appear through another door, which makes for some dead space in the intervening moments - the production is lively, engaging and watchable. Kathyrn Ind directs confidently, while the entire cast form a strong ensemble.