Myra’s Story – a sobering tale of alcoholism and homelessness that sees past stereotypes to paint the backstory of someone who might otherwise only be a statistic (Grand Opera House until Saturday 5 April)

When someone who is homeless asks you for some change, aside from the compassion or coldness you may immediately display, does your mind ever turn to question their back story and the circumstances that have led to them living in this way?

That’s the challenge at the heart of Myra’s Story, a tragicomedy by Derry playwright Brian Foster that examines the life of Myra McLaughlin. Fíonna Hewitt-Twamley shuffles on to the stage dressed in tatty clothes and holding a bag that seems to contain her few worldly possessions. Foul-mouthed Myra turned 48 yesterday, and while she’s feeling the worse for wear after a birthday binge that’s emptied her pockets of passerby donations, there wasn’t really much to celebrate.

As a teenager, the death of her mother resulted in the loss of her father to drink and her entry into the care system. Her teenage marriage to Tommy brought some blessings but also ended with much pain. We laugh at her recollection of their wedding night, but later we’ll cry when their wee family is knocked for six by yet more loss. Myra has been hurting for decades, but there’s no let up. Big Bridie, Jimmy the Tadpole, Tina the Tat, and Norris the Gnome certainly add colour to her life, but it seems like nothing can prevent her slide into alcoholism.

The set consists of a simple black drape and a wooden bench. Hewitt-Twamley delivers a two-hour monologue, dissected by an interval. Her vocal range enables her to switch between female and male characters, ranging from Tommy’s deep lyrical Derryisms to Bridie’s high-pitched delivery. It’s a vivid performance that holds your attention.

Most of Myra’s recollections centre around the early 1970s. Tommy relates his experience on a trip home to a civil rights march on what would become known as Bloody Sunday. The seriousness of life is broken up by surreal moments like a Russian Vodka bottle coming to life. There are lots of opportunities for laughs, and also a few for tears.

Myra’s Story is never worthy. It doesn’t demand judgement (other than the audience perhaps becoming self-critical of their own actions, inactions and prejudices). It doesn’t go out of its way to shock or stereotype. It’s honest about some of the circumstances that line up like dominos that can push someone into homelessness. Foster’s taut script and Hewitt-Twamley’s expert performance create vulnerable characters that experience many different types of poverty. Myra is humanised, and as audiences walk out of the theatre, they will have to decide whether to turn up their compassion or revert to coldness.

The show’s run continues at the Grand Opera House until Saturday 5 April. There is an opportunity to donate to a local homeless charity at the end of the performance.

Appreciated this review? Why not click on the Buy Me a Tea button donate to Belfast Homeless Services.