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Mum of drugs victim hopes play will 'make NI pupils think'

Julie McCullough
BBC News NI
Family handout Jeni Larmour has curly brown and blonde hair. She has a red and black top on and looks into the camera with a wide smile. Family handout
Jeni Larmour died aged 18 after taking ketamine on her first day of university in 2020

The mother of a County Armagh teenager, who died after taking drugs given to her on her first night at university, is hoping a play touring schools will make other young people think about what they would do in a similar situation.

Sandra Larmour's 18-year-old daughter Jeni died after taking Ketamine hours after arriving at Newcastle University in October 2020.

The play - I Love You Mum - I Promise I Won't Die - is based on the true story of 16-year-old London boy Daniel Spargo-Mabbs who died after taking ecstasy on a night out 11 years ago.

Sandra, who has been campaigning for more drugs education in schools, worked hard to bring the production to Northern Ireland.

Young people at Jeni's old school - The Royal School Armagh - saw it on Tuesday.

Sandra Larmour looks into the camera, she has long blonde hair and is wearing a green and white patterned jacket with a jumper underneath.
Sandra Larmour campaigned for the play to be brought to Northern Ireland schools

'Not an easy performance'

Martina McAfee, one of the actors in the production, says the fact that it is a "verbatim play" meant it was "not an easy performance to do".

A verbatim play is based on the actual words of real people.

Martina believes that because the script is based on "true words" from 16-year-old Daniel Spargo-Mabbs' family and friends means it "sticks in the students' heads" after they leave the school.

Martina McAfee and Hannah Reilly look into the camera, both have long brown hair, Martina's is tied up in a ponytail, she is wearing a white shirt and Hannah is wearing a white t-shirt with a black half-zip fleece.
Martina McAfee and Hannah Reilly are the co-founders of Ever Unique Productions behind the Northern Ireland production of the play

The title of the play are the final words he spoke to his mum on the night he died.

Hannah Reilly, another actor, says there are "so many different characters to identify with" and that is what makes it so emotional.

"There've been a lot of tears and sniffles throughout the performances."

Francesca, who is wearing a navy school uniform, has light long brown hair, and dark brown eyes, looks at the camera with a neutral expression
Francesca, 18, found it "heavy to watch" but "informative"

The play is being performed in 26 schools across Northern Ireland.

Pupils, from four different schools, who saw the play at The Royal School Armagh spoke to BBC News NI about how the play had affected them after they saw it.

Francesca, 18, who is in upper sixth at the school said it was "weird" to have things that would be considered "touchy subjects" being talked about so openly and found it informative.

'It's ok to say no'

Taylor, who is wearing a navy school uniform, has thick brown hair and blue eyes, looks into the camera with a neutral expression
Eighteen-year-old Taylor says the play was relatable

Taylor, 18, said it was a very "hard" play that got across the "hard points that you don't really get in the average presentation" on drugs.

He felt it portrayed peer pressure very well and how "it's ok to say no and get yourself away from those situations".

'My heart was just breaking'

Actors on a stage with an audience of students looking on
The Royal School Armagh invited four local schools to the production

The performance in Armagh was Sandra Larmour's first opportunity to see the play in full.

She felt that Daniel's story in the play was very similar to her daughter Jeni's.

"There were numerous points where my heart was just breaking."

She hopes it can help students put a plan in place if they were put in a similar situation to Daniel or Jeni in the future.