I really enjoyed Snowflake at the Ensemble Theatre, although I have to say it was a lot more emotional for me than I was expecting. It was one of those plays that makes you laugh, but also really pulls at your heartstrings and leaves you thinking about it long after you’ve left the theatre.

What made this play particularly special for me was just how incredibly relatable the storyline was. In fact, at times it felt less like I was watching a play and more like I was watching the last few years of my own life unfold on stage. The relationship between the father and the daughter, the misunderstandings, the frustrations, the arguments and the feeling that no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to get through to each other. So much of it felt almost identical to my own experiences with my daughter.

There were moments when I actually had tears in my eyes. Not necessarily because of what was happening on stage, but because it brought up so many emotions and memories of my own family situation. I found myself thinking about how difficult it can be as a parent when you love your child more than anything, but somehow everything you say or do seems to be taken the wrong way. You want to help, you want to guide them, you want to protect them, but sometimes the more you try, the further apart you seem to become. I think anyone who has experienced something similar with their own children will really understand just how much this play can hit home.

I thought the play did a great job of showing how differently parents and their adult children can see the same situation. Both sides have their own feelings, their own frustrations and their own version of events. You can see the love is there, but so is the hurt, and sometimes it feels like neither side really knows how to get through to the other. It also makes you think about how easily relationships can become strained and how much can be left unsaid.

The acting was really good overall. James Lugton was fantastic and brought a great mix of humour and emotion to his character. Claudia Elbourne was also excellent and really captured the emotions and frustrations of her role. Lilian Alejandra Valverde brought plenty of energy to the production, although I did feel her London accent was a bit wobbly.

I also loved the intimate setting of the Ensemble Theatre. It makes everything feel very close and personal, almost as though you are sitting in someone’s living room watching a real family situation play out in front of you.

What I particularly liked was that the play didn’t make everything black and white. It showed how complicated family relationships can be, particularly when children become adults and the parent-child relationship changes. There isn’t always a simple answer, and sometimes the hardest thing is accepting that two people can love each other but still find it incredibly difficult to understand one another.

For me, this play was much more than just an entertaining night at the theatre. It genuinely touched a nerve and brought up a lot of emotions. I walked away thinking about my own daughter, our relationship and the last few years, and I think that’s a pretty powerful thing for a play to do.

A funny, emotional and very relatable production. I would recommend seeing it, particularly if you’re a parent of adult children. Just be prepared, it might hit a little closer to home than you expect!

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