Overview

'I don't visit the past. The past visits me.' The sharp-tongued Miss Myrtle is trying to manage her unkempt garden in a rapidly changing neighbourhood. Her grandson Rudy and his 'close friend' Jason need a place to stay, and local drunk Eddie keeps relieving himself against her garden wall. When Rudy starts delving into the past, Myrtle resists – all she wants is some peace and quiet. But as her brain begins to play up, far more complicated questions about grief, love and understanding demand her attention, and she's running out of time. Miss Myrtle's Garden is a wonderfully warm and witty exploration of how acknowledging the past helps us live life in the present. It was written by Danny James King and first performed at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2025, directed by Taio Lawson. 'Quietly beautiful... relatable and deeply funny... What Miss Myrtle's Garden gets so right is the way it creeps up on you: one moment you're laughing, the next you're holding back tears. It's a play about the past, about what's left unsaid, and the quiet ache to be seen' — Time Out 'Heartbreaking... an immersion into a mindscape of sharp quips and memory slips... a relationship charged with unspoken pain... King has a gift for writing rich comedy' — Guardian 'An emotionally resonant debut that blooms into life... subtle and richly textured' — Independent 'Compassion and understanding... a work of great talent, full of wit and vitality as well as feeling... it's all that's unspoken as well as the words that make King's play so heartbreaking' — WhatsOnStage 'A sweet, old-fashioned meditation on secrets, affection and declining economic expectations across the generations of a London Jamaican clan... suffused with a gentle wit and empathy for all its characters... King's script springs some fun surprises' — Evening Standard 'A sophisticated exploration of memory, grief, and identity, which becomes a touching, beautiful piece of theatre... King surrounds the stigma of dementia with lots of breathing space rooted in the unsaid, sweetening uncomfortable truths with surprising circumstantial humour... Miss Myrtle's Garden is a triumph of emotion. It's funny and sad where appropriate, jolting where it needs to be... frankly hilarious at times... pure heartbreak' — Broadway World 'Myrtle is a wonderful creation: she is proud, dignified and an expert at the acid putdown... specialising in a theatrically hilarious brand of critical comments, being always in the right, defending her status and putting relatives and strangers in their place... she is written with great sympathy and specificity... touching and full of wisdom' — Arts Desk

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9781839044779

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Reviews

'Quietly beautiful... relatable and deeply funny... What Miss Myrtle's Garden gets so right is the way it creeps up on you: one moment you're laughing, the next you're holding back tears. It's a play about the past, about what's left unsaid, and the quiet ache to be seen' * Time Out * 'Heartbreaking... an immersion into a mindscape of sharp quips and memory slips... a relationship charged with unspoken pain... King has a gift for writing rich comedy' * Guardian * 'An emotionally resonant debut that blooms into life... subtle and richly textured' * Independent * 'Compassion and understanding... a work of great talent, full of wit and vitality as well as feeling... it's all that's unspoken as well as the words that make King's play so heartbreaking' * WhatsOnStage * 'A sweet, old-fashioned meditation on secrets, affection and declining economic expectations across the generations of a London Jamaican clan... suffused with a gentle wit and empathy for all its characters... King's script springs some fun surprises' * Evening Standard * 'A sophisticated exploration of memory, grief, and identity, which becomes a touching, beautiful piece of theatre... King surrounds the stigma of dementia with lots of breathing space rooted in the unsaid, sweetening uncomfortable truths with surprising circumstantial humour... Miss Myrtle's Garden is a triumph of emotion. It's funny and sad where appropriate, jolting where it needs to be... frankly hilarious at times... pure heartbreak' * Broadway World * 'Myrtle is a wonderful creation: she is proud, dignified and an expert at the acid putdown... specialising in a theatrically hilarious brand of critical comments, being always in the right, defending her status and putting relatives and strangers in their place... she is written with great sympathy and specificity... touching and full of wisdom' * Arts Desk * 'A confident, warm-hearted, slow-burning reflection on the burden of secrets and unreconciled memories... emotional heft and subtle insight... King has a sharp, unflinching eye for the slow brutalities of dementia, not just on those living with it, but also their loved ones' * Reviews Hub * 'Tender, sharp and often very droll' * London Theatre * 'One of those rare plays that grips you from the first moment and refuses to let go. Equal parts tender, hilarious and gut-wrenching, it is a sharp meditation on memory, family and cultural legacy that feels entirely fresh. With writing that fizzes with wit and a production that's as immersive as it is intimate, Miss Myrtle's Garden is a masterclass in storytelling' * Everything Theatre * 'Written with truth, economy and great warmth... an absorbing and beautifully written play... not to be missed' * West End Best Friend * 'Breathtaking... one of my favourite plays of the year... King brings a great deal of sensitivity to the text and has created characters whose struggles are relatable, believable, and painfully familiar. There's also plenty of laughs... Miss Myrtle's Garden is, by every metric, a triumph' * All That Dazzles *

Author Information

Danny James King is a London-based writer working in theatre, film and television. His plays include Miss Myrtle's Garden (Bush Theatre, London, 2025) and Bounty (runner-up for the Alfred Fagon Award). Author photo by Oliver Grabowski

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