Monster Mum (formerly Forgive Me)
Monster Mum (formerly known as Forgive Me) is an innovative and dynamic award-winning show that combines pole work, video projection, song and interactive gaming. Essentially it’s a play about modern parenting but it also explores the relationship between autism, gaming, and late diagnoses of ADHD informed by my own experience.
Produced in association with Actors of Dionysus Monster Mum brings together award-winning creatives including myself as writer/performer, Helen Tennison (director/dramaturg) Matt Eaton (sound designer/composer) Xiaomin Fan as videographer, Lucy Wheeler and BRiGHTBLACK as digital artists, Nick Bush as Lighting Designer and Julia Rahn as Stage Manager/Operator.
The show won the IC Pioneer award, which recognises cutting-edge works that courageously breaks through theatrical language, performance forms, and aesthetic concepts, with strong experimental spirit. The award encourages creators to challenge traditional narrative frameworks and stage boundaries.
Monster Mum premiered (as Forgive Me) at Summerhall, Tech Cube Zero (13.20) Edinburgh Festival Fringe Aug 6 – 31. Prior to that it previewed at Brighton Fringe May 15 – 17 2026.
The project (Forgive Me) received second stage National Lottery Project Grant funding from Arts Council England subsequent to first stage Arts Council funded research and development, which culminated in a pilot performance at The Lowry in Salford in July 2023. Forgive Me was part of British Council supported Lowry x Edinburgh, a curated programme of world class theatre, dance, comedy and circus by England-based artists at this year’s Edinburgh Festival. The programme champions distinctive voices and positions England based artists on an international stage.
Reviews from Edinburgh include:
“Forgive Me is an ambitious and heartwarming exploration of gaming, maternal love and intergenerational neurodivergence” Fringe Review
“Powerful verbatim production is both brave and educational” Theatre & Arts Review
“Mesmerising to watch….Tamsin Shasha is the poster woman for how to live life to the full in your late 50s. She loves wild swimming, can pole dance beautifully, and isn’t afraid to examine her own parenting” The Scotsman
Edinburgh Fringe audience feedback includes:
“Inventive, tender and quietly devastating. By weaving together several performance languages, the show pulls you inside a mother-son relationship built on the courage to move beyond your own patterns for love. Genuinely funny, yet I cried from start to finish”
“Often funny, sometimes achingly sad, ‘Forgive Me’ is a beautiful, raw multi-layered rendering of the confounding frailty of parenthood. Highly recommend”
“Informative, entertaining and thought-provoking show with great energy. I came away moved and a little more understanding of the struggles nmd superpower that a diagnosis of ADHD brings. Impressive use of film, music and visuals to tell the story. Particularly enjoyed the musical contribution and graceful use of pole dancing – unusual art!”
“I also laughed and cried – the pace and mood can change abruptly. The serious and tragic issues raised are wrapped with some feisty acrobatics and singing, high energy posturing and humour, kind audience interaction, and perhaps a date for the lucky one. Highly Recommended. (Thankfully my tears had dried at the end but bring a tissue)”
To see the full list of audience feedback please go to the Edinburgh Fringe website.
Photo credits: Manja Williams, Jem Kelly, Xiaomin Fan and Phil Tragan.