Things I know To Be True

 I was accompanied on this evening by a friend who knew this play very well and had enthused about it. Before the interval, I understood why, the play was compelling, perceptive, and relatable, even without prior exposure to the script or production. Andrew Bovell’s well-constructed play explores, through the experiences of the Price family and their daily frictions, the powerful messages about love, identity and resilience. Director, Sam Evans, had transformed the stage at the Grange to a suburban garden, with a picket fence, a rose bed and hanging lights. The set was simple but cleverly used throughout the play, as was the lighting design. There was also a table at the side. This garden was tended by Bob, the head of the Price family, at regular intervals throughout the play and this represented stability and home to each of the characters. The passing of time, (a year), was shown through the visible growth phases of the rose bushes in different scenes as the play progressed, attentively nurtured by Bob. The actors, appointed to play the characters, were perfectly suited to their roles and talented in their acting abilities with monologues delivered flawlessly, often evoking strong emotion.  Whilst the setting was Adelaide in Australia, all dialogue was very British.

The play features Fran and Bob Price, both in their late middle age. Bob is a retired car worker, and Fran is a senior nurse. They have four adult children, who they hope will be better versions of themselves. This play focusses on the issues and dilemmas faced by each of their offspring in their personal lives, who all reach a point of crisis in this given year; and this provides the structure to this play. When each of them comes to their parents with a difficult problem it shows up the strength of their parents’ influence over them but also the limits of their parents’ capabilities. This forces Bob and Fran to reevaluate everything they knew about their own world, with internal tensions that began to turn contentment to unhappiness.

 Jade Webster-Lowndes played the role of youthful Rosie Price, the youngest daughter who still lived at home. She had the most difficult job in setting up the scene right at the start of the play with a lengthy monologue, which she handled brilliantly, delivering with quiet strength, yet showing vulnerability as Rosie. During the monologue we learn about her search for that feeling of being alive in Berlin and traipsing halfway round the world to seek an experience that would give her that feeling.  Rosie returned home heartbroken but sure of things that she knew to be true, that her parents and the garden which will always be the same.

Caitlin Griffin brilliantly realised the part of Pip Price, the oldest child, and in her monologue, we learnt the impact of her mother, who criticised Pip in her youth, and her failing relationship with her husband Steve. Years of marriage and the presence of children was not enough for Pip to overcome the feeling of simply being fond of her husband and she wanted to pursue a life and an affair in Vancouver. In the play, Caitlin is involved in some powerful scenes as Pip, and she portrays such determination where she clashes with her mum, Fran, who is ready to help Pip with the children( but doesn’t know how to react when she says she is leaving her husband for a job and a lover in Vancouver).Ben Price, one of the sons, was portrayed by Harry Parker, and he conveyed an energetic, fairly assertive young man, recognisable to so many mums because , whilst he was 27 years old, still depended on his mum for washing his shirts! He is also tempted by lasagne in Tupperware boxes to take from home. It was only in his last scene we glimpsed Ben’s true struggle and inner turmoil, when he confessed to being involved in dodgy financial arrangements. Harry’s confession was very convincing and emotionally charged. Mark Price was played by Dave Mills very effectively. He perfectly captured the nervousness of letting his parents know about his sexuality and change of sexual identity. Dave gave a great performance, navigating the painful terrain with coming out to your family.

Claire Parker was magnificent in the role of Fran Price and gave an outstanding performance as the dominant, often angry, matriarch, concealing her passionate love for her fractured family. Claire mastered this hard role as the formidable mother of the clan perfectly. She impressively conjured decades of exhaustion in the vision of Fran, a mother and a nurse. That continual mothering cycle meant Fran never got a break, causing tension and judgement that is directed at her children, a very relatable model mother who feels tired and trapped by expectation.

Alan Lowe was amazing in the role of Bob Price, often bewildered by family events but still caring. The consistency of Alan’s show of characteristics was notable, often calm, kind and loving, awkward embraces and conveyance of shock and dread in his expressions. His character Bob was unable to change and adapt to his children’s lives; often giving the impression of a retired father, struggling with modern existence and terrified of change. Alan’s grasp of his character was first class. His life once meant raising a family and working to pay a mortgage and now it was ensuring that his roses made it through another season. In final scenes of the play, Bob, devastated by the disintegration of his vision of life upturned his bed of roses in a fit of rage and frustration. In the final scene, we see Bob consumed by utter grief at the mortifying news of the death of Fran, his beloved wife. His howls of anguish and torturous cries were harrowing. Alan, that was extraordinary acting!

The performance of this play was certainly quite moving in parts and elicited an emotional response from so many. Congratulations to Sam on your successful direction and to all the cast and crew. Thank you for inviting me.

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