Writer Danny James King talks new play ‘Miss Myrtle’s Garden’: “There’s no need to visit the past when it visits you”

Currently running at London’s Bush Theatre, Danny James King’s latest theatrical endeavour digs into the relationship between an old woman with dementia and her grandson — as a new, stronger bond of trust and understanding blooms between the two. Guillermo Nazara chats with the author — to learn more about the development of a piece deeply rooted in his own personal background.

How did the idea for the show come about?

The initial concept was a show about my grandmother’s friendship with her gardener. She was West Indian and he was Irish, and they would argue all the time. I initially pitched it to the radio as I loved how the sound of the accents blended together, but I had a conversation with Lynette Linton at The Bush Theatre about the play, and shortly after, they commissioned it. From there, the show shifted focus from being about the relationship between Myrtle and Eddie, more towards the relationship with her grandson and how he deals with losing her to dementia.

One of the core themes of the play is people’s resistance to come to terms with their past. What enticed you to write about this subject?

The answer to that question revealed itself more and more as the process went on. If you had asked me when I was in the midst of writing it, I wouldn’t have had a clear answer. Progressively, it became clearer and clearer that I had never come to terms with losing my grandmother. Eventually, I turned around and saw her everywhere at The Bush, and it hit me that I had never really grieved. The play reflects that journey, but it was never intentional and could only be found by what the process demanded of me.

Is denial a part of human nature?

Absolutely. I know for me, denial is my only chance at survival in certain situations. Myrtle has a line in the play that reads ‘getting hard was the only way to hold onto my dignity’ and I feel that on a cellular level. I think denial is a necessary step on your path to acceptance. It never works, but at least you can say you tried everything.

What other themes have you tried to explore through the script?

The garden acts as a great metaphor to underline the core themes of the play. The biggest theme for me is presence. It’s what ties everything together. Being present in the moment, which is a lesson for the younger characters and something that many find access to through the act of gardening. Presence of mind, which is something that our lead character struggles with throughout. And finally, a presence that is felt in the space, that Myrtle and her grandson are haunted by.

What’s the key to handle such emotionally powerful themes and elements without verging into the melodramatic?

Comedy. The play needed to have a good amount of light relief in order to cushion the blows of the harder hitting stuff. Also, having vibrant characters who you want to spend time with. The issues they’re facing are hard enough that it has to be a world you actually want to hang out in.

What has the development of the piece been like?

It’s been very personal. Far more than I anticipated going into it. I think I was trying to stay away from the more painful aspects of the story, but that just didn’t make sense in order to get to the heart of the play. The process of working with my brilliant dramaturg, Olivia Poglio-Nwabali, was both joyous and painful, but she handled it conscientiously throughout and I’m really proud of where we got to in the end.

As a writer, have you found any particular challenges throughout its creation?

The questions the play was asking of me personally. I unwittingly set up a framework that continually asked me to look at the parts of my past I had previously buried. I hadn’t realised that was what the play was doing at first, but it became clearer as time went on.

Is there any message you’re trying to convey through this piece?

I think the main message is that our loved ones never truly leave us. Myrtle’s name finds its origins in the plant myrtle, which is an evergreen shrub. Evergreen plants never truly die, they continuously live on and the truth is, as long as her grandson is wandering this planet, she will be wandering with him. There’s no need to visit the past when it visits you.

Why come see ‘Miss Myrtle’s Garden’?

I can talk about the text as much as I like, but Taio Lawson’s direction is stellar and every member of the cast shines in their individual roles. Diveen Henry in particular gives a spellbinding performance as Myrtle. The creative team Taio assembled is also incredible. I spoke about Olivia before but besides her, the set design, costume, and lighting were also sublime. However, the thing that stood out the most for me upon watching the first performance was the sound design. I’d heard Dan Balfour was good, but the amount of detail he sonically inserted into the show blew me away and gave me a real appreciation for the role of the sound designer. I would say come for the story but the production is a real draw for me.

Miss Myrtle’s Garden plays at London’s Bush Theatre until 12 July. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara