Fun Home review – Alison Bechdel's musical memoir returns to the UK with emotional depth and joy
Sarah Frankcom's in-the-round revival at Manchester's Royal Exchange brings a light touch to a story of family secrets, sexual awakening, and generational pain.
The musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir "Fun Home" has been revived at the Royal Exchange in Manchester, directed by Sarah Frankcom in a fluid in-the-round staging. First seen in the UK in 2018, the show combines heartache with moments of levity.
The story, adapted by Lisa Kron (book and lyrics) and Jeanine Tesori (music), follows Bechdel's sexual awakening as a college student, which coincides with her discovery of her father's secret gay life. The narrative shifts between the 43-year-old Bechdel (Jodie McNee), her college self (Alice Audrey O'Hanlon), and her childhood self (Felicity Moore). Nigel Harman plays her conflicted father, and Alex Young portrays her mother.
The production explores the family's inability to truly see each other, with the father's suicide looming as an inexplicable tragedy. Yet the show also features joyful numbers, including a Jackson 5-style funk piece performed by the youngest Bechdel and her siblings around an empty coffin, and the uplifting "Raincoat of Love" by the full company.
With soulful ballads, ironic humor, and a celebration of queer identity, this revival is a powerful testament to resilience and awkward survival.
