A mother spiralling. A son trapped in her world. A daughter reeling at the price of rebelling. Polly Stenham’s ‘That Face’ is a dissection of a family drowning in its own privilege.
Fourth Wall is excited to stage Polly Stenham's ‘That Face’: a contemporary drama that serves as both a darkly comedic critique of privilege and a sympathetic, lyrical exploration of family dysfunction.
The story follows the fallout of a family after fifteen year old Mia takes a boarding school hazing ritual too far. Expelled from school, Mia is thrown back into the midst of the family dynamics she was rebelling against: she is forced to stay with her mother Martha, who is profoundly dependent on alcohol, pills, and a perverse but caring relationship with Mia's older brother Henry. The tensions of this chaotic family crystalise with the return of Mia and Henry’s father, with both parents forced to confront how their elite lifestyles have failed their children.
Compared by the Daily Express to the work of Tennessee Williams and Edward Albee, Stenham's play combines poetic intimacy with dramatic spectacle to stunning effect.
Please note: this performance contains themes of incest.
£7 Standard
£6.50 Concession
£6 Performing Arts Members
This performance is taking place at the Collingwood Arts Centre, Collingwood College, Durham, DH1 3LT.
The performance begins at 7.30pm and lasts for approximately 105 minutes with a short interval. Doors open 30 minutes before the show begins.
