Death reveals dark truths

“For three days after death, hair and fingernails continue to grow but phone calls taper off,” he said.

But those three days are important. That’s when the character of the deceased is dug up. That’s when people release all their contained feelings, their bitterness and sometime even rancour.

Yes, along the way, family and friends sometimes pay respects and express regret.

Yet, it ain’t necessarily so.

The theme of post-departure emotions is explored in this week’s Oran Mor play, Hameldaeme

Damian Mullen’s script, directed By Jimmy Chisholm and featuring Nicola Auld, Jennifer Hainey and Barbara Rafferty tells of ‘Three women, a coffin and a very long night’.

The night referred to is before Bobby’s funeral. The Wake is over, the mourners have left. It’s a time for calmness, reflection, prayer.

Not a chance.

Newly widowed Kitty (Rab. C. Nesbitt star Barbara) is united, or reunited, with her daughters around the coffin.

Staying true to her Irish routes, Kitty announces she’s sitting up all night with the body. This will be a proper wake.

As the clock rolls on and the gin is topped up, the women share stories, harsh truths, confront tough realities and debunk myths about the man in the box; all punctuated with a song or two.

“No kidney stone goes unturned during this night of revelations,” say the Oran Mor producers.

Jennifer Hainey says the dark comedy play has been a delight to rehearse.

“I play the younger daughter, Sarah, although she likes to be called Zara, because she is that sort of person, and we learn she has just come up from London,” says Jennifer, smiling.

“Nicola Auld plays my big sister, Patricia. And it’s a story about being surrounded by death, but sort of trying to make sense of it all.

“When we learn the dad has died there are some lovely moments.

“But then when gin goes down all the secrets begin to emerge.”

The actress adds; “There is also some darker stuff in the play and a lot of truths about men.

“It tells of what women have had to put up with from men in the Sixties and compares with attitudes today. But that level of misogyny doesn’t wash nowadays.”

The actress grew up in Ayr. “I always wanted to act. I attended Ayr Youth Theatre in 1987 after they came to schools and picked a cast.

“I was in Primary 2 and became the Good Witch Glenda in Wizard of Oz. I didn’t walk down the Yellow Brick Road. I skipped, according to my mother. I was so excited.”

And bitten by the acting bug, going onto to appear with Borderline Youth Theatre and Scottish Youth Theatre.

“I loved the world of acting. I loved films. And I loved Maggie Smith.”

While Jennifer was at drama college in London her parents took off to Dubai to live.

“My dad works in oil and my mum is a teaching assistant. And I’ve actually spent quite a bit of time there as well, working. I’ve done children’s shows, going around the schools. It’s been great. “What you do is a panto-esque performance and the kids fall in love with the characters in the likes of Alice In Wonderland.”

Jennifer, who appeared in the touring production of Sunset Song two years ago, moved back to Glasgow from London. “It was a great time to come back, given all the changes in Scottish theatre.”

She first appeared at Oran Mor back in 2006. In 2012, Jennifer adapted Noel Coward’s Private Lives as part of the Classic Cuts season, to resounding success.

Her accent was near perfect. “At drama school I was able to do accents,” she says. “The English accent has always been my party piece.”

Now, she’s delighted to be back in the basement theatre.

“You don’t always work as often as you would like and you can find yourself doing a bar job or temping.

“But I need to be in this world as often as I can. And when you get the chance to act it’s a brilliant reminder of why you chose the life in the first place.”

• Hameldaeme, Oran Mor, until Saturday.