Have you turned away from a homeless person and just kept walking? Well you are not alone, haunted by guilt for ignoring homeless woman with ‘piercing green eyes’ on a freezing December day Derry playwright Brian Foster’s penned the play in less than a month with the play’s core message focusing on empathy as we are all ‘here but for the grace of God’.
‘Last night I went to Dublin’ well Ha’penny Bridge to be precise to join Myra McLaughlin at her favourite begging spot. Sitting in my comfy, warm theatre seat I had become acutely aware of my own comfort – as I’m yanked by ‘me bootstraps’ on a journey through the grinding destitution of Dublin’s streets. Myra’s Story charts a universally tragic tale and seeing this on Mother’s Day was particularly poignant. If you get the chance – watch this one-woman paragon of a play!
Myra’s Story, written and directed by Brian Foster and starring Fionna Hewitt-Twamley, is a deeply powerful and captivating piece of theatre that holds the audience’s attention from the very first moment. This one-night show at The Birmingham Rep reminds us that beneath the humour and storytelling runs a harrowing exploration of grief, loss, and motherhood. These themes powerfully combine with addiction and homelessness adding another layer of emotional resonance, making Myra’s Story feel even more human and deeply affecting. That aching void of loss and grief weave throughout the playful magic of Brian Foster’s script celebrating characters and their voices, while reminding us of our shared social responsibility.
Set on the streets of Dublin, Foster shines a spotlight on Myra, a homeless woman who recounts the events of her life and the painful circumstances that have led her to the fragile fringes of society. Through humour, honesty, and raw emotion, the play tells a story that is both intensely personal and socially important.
What makes Myra’s Story so compelling is its emotional range and ability to connect with the audience. One moment the audience is laughing at Myra’s sharp wit or the eccentric personalities she describes, and the next they are confronted with heartbreaking truths about loneliness, trauma, and loss. This seamless movement between comedy and tragedy creates an emotional depth that keeps the audience fully invested. By the end of the performance, the emotional weight of the story is undeniable, and the standing ovation from the audience feels completely deserved.
At its heart is Fionna Hewitt-Twamley’s extraordinary performance. In what can only be described as a tour-de-force, she not only plays Myra but effortlessly brings to life fifteen other characters that populate Myra’s world in a one-woman virtuoso. Each character feels completely distinct and believable from the memorable Jimmy the Tadpole to Big Bridie and the Garden Gnome, Hewitt-Twamley shifts effortlessly between personalities, accents, and mannerisms. Her unique ability to embody such a wide range of characters on a bare stage demonstrates remarkable skill and keeps the audience completely absorbed throughout.
Brian Foster’s script is a masterpiece of Irish storytelling, filled with a distinctly Irish voice, rhythm, and humour. The writing is rich with vivid imagery and colourful descriptions that paint a clear picture of Dublin’s streets and the unforgettable people who inhabit them. The dialogue is sharp, witty, and full of life, capturing the warmth and humour often associated with Irish storytelling traditions, allowing the audience to laugh frequently even as the story moves through darker and more difficult territory. The humour never feels forced; instead, it reflects the resilience and wit of the characters themselves. This gives the play an authentic and deeply human quality that deeply draws the audience into Myra’s world.
Beyond its theatrical brilliance, the play carries a powerful and sobering social message. Myra’s Story has helped raise over £400,000 for homelessness charities and challenges many of the stereotypes surrounding people who live on the streets. The play highlights that homelessness is rarely the result of a single factor such as drugs or alcohol. Instead, it often stems from complex and painful experiences such as childhood trauma, loss, or difficult life circumstances. Through Myra’s story, the audience is reminded that behind every person experiencing homelessness is a human being with a past, relationships, and a life story.
Ultimately, Myra’s Story is more than just a performance - it is an unforgettable piece of storytelling that combines humour, heartbreak, and humanity. It makes the audience laugh, cry, and, most importantly, reflect. Long after the curtain falls, Myra’s voice and story remain with the audience, reminding us not to look away, but to see the people behind the circumstances and recognise that everyone has a story worth hearing. It reminds us to not turn away our gaze.
One particularly striking moment after the play is highlighted by society’s often uncomfortable relationship with homelessness. Hewitt-Twamley expresses her thoughts about the act of cascading coins down to homeless individuals from a height. The moment forces the audience to reflect on how easily people can distance themselves from the margins of people living on the streets. The play also suggests that many individuals' experiencing homelessness withdraw from society and disengage from the world around them as a coping mechanism - an emotional escape from the constant judgement, hardship, and brutal invisibility they face.
Perhaps the most powerful message of the play is the reminder that homelessness can happen to anyone. It suggests that many of us are just a few different twists of fate away from one wrong decision, one difficult circumstance from the ravages of homelessness. The story encourages the audience to recognise that the person on the street could just as easily be someone we know or love - a mother, a sister, a daughter, a son. Everyone has a unique backstory that deserves to be heard ...
