Regular readers of this blog will know that it was born out of Mummy’s indecision over whether to become a Mummy blogger or a Theatre blogger. A year and a half in, it’s safe to say that the blog is distinctly stagey but with something of a family focus. We see a lot of children’s theatre but Mummy and Mrs Mummy can often be found at a good old grown-up show of an evening…..Or, at least they will do when going to the theatre becomes an actual thing again.
Although there has been a lot of lockdown theatre of the grown-up variety, we’ve not found it easy to keep up with. While other people have been settling down to watch live-streams at 7.30pm, bedtime has very much precluded us from tuning in too. Yes, we could take it in turns to do bedtime, but watching a show by yourself doesn’t have quite the same appeal when you can hear your other half trying to calm the chaos above your head.
In any case, even when the small people are asleep, there’s loads more to be done before we can settle down in front of a screen. For many people lockdown has been a time for catching up on things that they never get round to. But, like many parents, we’ve never been busier. For the last few months, evenings have morphed into times when we try to catch up on the work that’s been interrupted by home-school help and constant snack requests. Then there’s exercise to sneak in and the daily attempt to find the floor under all the mess that has accumulated during the day. Priorities have changed. Standards have slipped. To-do lists have lengthened. Nobody ever (truthfully) said parenting was easy but parenting during a pandemic is something else entirely. So it’s comforting to know that we’re not alone. Which is a very long-winded way of introducing the exciting new podcast series from the team behind The Good Enough Mums Club……
The Good Enough Mums Club is a poignant and hilarious musical romp conceived, produced, directed, arranged, and performed by mothers. The show’s creator Emily Beecher and co-producers Sarah Shead and Jade Samuels are single mums who juggle work in the arts alongside motherhood. Working in the traditional style was not going to be possible so they are creating new pathways to balance work and lockdown family life.
While the show itself undergoes new development in lockdown (thanks to Arts Council England emergency funding), the team have announced a new podcast series to explore the highs, lows and sleep deprivation of motherhood during this especially challenging time.
“In creating the club we wanted to share our stories of being mums and to communicate the message of hope and acceptance we’ve discovered, born out of some of the darkest experiences of early motherhood. We recognise that every mum has their own story and we hope the club is a celebration of the ordinary things that make all mums extraordinary. “
Producers, Emily Beecher, Sarah Shead and Jade Samuels
With many mothers struggling with home-schooling and 24/7 childcare, The Good Enough Mums Club is seeking to spark conversations about motherhood. Mothers are currently under more pressure than ever before with isolation and loneliness taking a huge toll. This project and podcast seek to provide an escape and antidote as well as a safe place to connect.
We are totally fangirling at the amazing cast which consists of Maisey Bawden (An Officer and a Gentleman, UK Tour; Honeymoon in Vegas, West End), Louise Dearman (Wicked, West End; Guys and Dolls, West End), Gemma Knight Jones (Falsettos, West End; The Lion King, West End), Dianne Pilkington (Only Fool and Horses the Musical, West End; Young Frankenstein, West End), and Jade Samuels (tinned goods, UK tour; Jumprov). They are currently working with director Hannah Chissick (Side by Side by Sondheim, West End; Horrid Henry: Live and Horrid, West End and UK tour) to perfect the music, examine what a post- Covid tour could be like and write four new songs which will feature in the podcast.
The podcast will offer the perfect extension of the show: a place to share the stories they have been gathering to share with other mums. Lockdown has only increased the pressures of motherhood and this podcast comes at a time when parents deserve to hear that they are not alone, they are not the only ones struggling to figure it all out. The team will soon announce their line-up of mums ready to talk about the real stuff: the good, the bad, the heart-breaking, the heart-warming, the pee and the glee that comes with being a mum.
What began life as a musical has evolved into a movement of mothers spreading the message that you don’t have to be perfect, and sometimes being good enough is best. Which is just what you need to hear when you’re typing up a blog entry at 9.30pm surrounded by laundry and dirty dishes, during a procrastination break from the work you didn’t finish during your day job – but, crucially, with a (second) glass of prosecco in hand. Cheers to The Good Enough Mums Club! We’ll definitely be tuning in.
Find out more about the Good Enough Mums Club and listen to the podcast at: https://www.goodenoughmumsclub.com/podcast