By Kristin Azzara
The Price Family (photo by Matt Otto)
Physically, I was only a speck in the crowd, but in every other sense, I had been whisked away to Adelaide, Australia, to witness the joy and tragedy of the Price family.
This was "Things I Know to Be True," a play by Andrew Bovell that was put on by Company 49 last month. The play explores the complex dynamics of the Price Family. Through a series of deeply intimate moments, it navigates the tension between family expectations and individual desires.
Each actor in "Things I Know to Be True" had the audience wrapped around their fingers. We loved them, we hated them, we were angry at them, and we were angry for them. It felt as if all six characters were real. By the end, I had become so present with the story that I had to close my notebook.
The show kept us on our toes by frequently bouncing from quick and witty dialogue to lengthy, emotional monologues. Those pace changes were perfectly accompanied by drastic tone changes, successfully representing life's unexpected twists.
The play's stage direction helped the audience connect to the characters. The inside of the Price's home was set towards the back of the stage. Their yard was placed in front of it, closer to the audience. A couch hid a set of steps, making it easier for the actors to enter and exit the stage. These details made the space come alive, and it felt as though we were secretly peering into the life of a real family.
Leanora Octavia Tapper gave an outstanding performance as Pip, one of the Price children. Her monologue on the complexities of mother-daughter relationships was a stand-out that Tapper delivered powerfully.
Pip's mother, Fran, who Misa Love Smith played, was funny and lovable but quick to anger. Smith had some great physical acting. Her body language and chemistry with other actors brought the play to another level.
Anthony Costello, who played her husband Bob, perfectly captured the character's many sides: a happy-go-lucky guy with a angry underbelly. Smith and Costello fully embodied their characters, conveying the story's many unspoken relationship dynamics through their body language. Their total commitment to their roles put the audience in a trance.
The play ends with a heartbreaking car accident that kills Fran. The grief that followed displayed some of the best acting I've witnessed. I can still hear Costello's guttural wails and bone-chilling cries from when Bob heard the news.
Put simply, this was a beautifully performed story about life and love. Going to this play was an extremely emotional experience. All six actors reached into the audience, touched my heart, and made me want to call my family just to say hello.
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