REVIEW: Things I Know To be True

By Andrew Bovell
Performed at The Old Court Theatre
Friday 19th April 2024

All I knew about the play this evening was that it was about a family. Such little information made me ill prepared for the lives of the Price family as they navigated their way through such a torrid and turbulent period of change in their lives, and left the audience reeling from the breadth of emotions they experienced. There was nowhere to hide. You could not walk away or react as one normally would, and yet you were so drawn into the family unit, you felt you should act in some way. Protect, yell, defend, and grieve. Not many performances I have seen have made me so invested in the lives of the characters.

The matriarch, Fran, was performed by Lily Chase. Clearly a hard working woman wearing her nurse uniform for most of the time, she was direct, busy and unforgiving. Never faltering in her strength, she was a perfect pairing with her equally hard working yet retired husband Bob, played by Paul Warner. Their powerful bond and exchanges had you truly believe this couple had been together since their youth, living the 9-5 and beyond, doing all they could to keep the family unit fed, housed and happy. The range of emotion, restraint of rage and fierce love over their family was mirrored in their children, all now fully grown adults, all making their own mistakes.

The siblings, Rosie, Pip, Ben and Mark, each had a personal journey to go on as they found their paths away from their parents. Each one struggling, yet returning to their home in the greatest time of need. Rosie was played by Isabel Marsh, who easily drew out the immaturity and empathy of her character, and her instinct was very natural to protect her brothers and sisters as you feel she would have done since she was very young. Pip, a mother with dissatisfaction with her chosen husband, was played by Claire Lois Walkinshaw. A cold woman with a wandering eye and business opportunity overshadowing her parental responsibility, she held herself a little distant from the family. The monologue with the letter and her mother’s reactions was a very strong scene, and showed us the inner turmoil not previously revealed, which gave us more understanding of her decision making. Ben, played with great range by Andrew Raymond, was the first to bring a real danger to the stage; a surprise, following from his earlier warm hug with his mum who still washes his shirts. The energy, wide eyed fear and unpredictable outburst with his father was difficult to sit and watch, and truly riveting yet heart breaking. A very powerful pairing of father and son locking horns. Paul Macklin played Mark, the seemingly overlooked son, whose sensitivity appeared to baffle his parents and frustrate them until his true sense of self is revealed. A difficult part to play, and very hard to see him break away from all he knew to become the person he was meant to be. His monologue was captivating.

The set emphasised the garden, a poignant place in each of the Price’s family lives, and was well designed for plenty of space, making use of the centre thrust. The stage became the kitchen and seating area, all simple, practical, and allowed for a natural setting of the family home. Lighting and sound was used to good effect, with a lovely split in the lighting from the stage onto the garden bench which was used well to separate the energy from within the home to the peaceful setting of the garden.

The director, Ben Maytham, and Assistant Director, Christine Adams Davidson have cast this very well. The collaborative rehearsal process has clearly allowed these natural bonds to form within the Price family dynamic, and the flow of scenes and need for the writing to ebb and flow with the emotions has been handled very sensitively.

If you want to see excellent theatre, do not pass this production by.

Katherine Tokley
Independent Review