The play follows married couple Bob and Fran Prince as they watch their adult children make shocking decisions that changes the course of their lives, exploring the resilience of an enduring marriage and how love and families can evolve.
Another award-winning Bovell play about family was on stage at The Court Theatre in 2014 - When the Rain Stops Falling.
“This play is about resilience and change and how we negotiate a new world together,” director Shane Bosher said.
“Rich in metaphor, it feels like a play for now. We need to share space; we need to congregate and we need to laugh together. Having loved each other for over thirty years, it should be time for Fran and Bob to slow down and smell the roses – until the lives of their adult children come crashing through the back door.”
It stars New Zealand actress Lara Macgregor and acclaimed Kiwi actor Stephen Lovatt, along with Heather O’Carroll, Simon Leary, Daniel Watterson and Caitlin Rivers, who bring the characters of their children to life.
Bovell said the play is a story about family: “That thing you spend your life trying to escape from only to yearn for what you’ve lost if you ever do.”
The Court Theatre’s artistic director Dan Pengelly said when he started reading the play, he just could not put it down. “It just felt so real, like I have met these people. This is an edge of your seat drama that promises an honest reflection of family truth.”
“This play will resonate with so many different people because family is something every single person has experienced. Whether it is the family you are dealt or the family you choose, everyone has experienced that deep bond and connection.”
- Opening at The Court Theatre on Saturday, March 20, Things I know to Be True will run until April 17.
