Review by Chloe
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review.
“I know that people aren’t perfect, even the ones you love — especially the ones you love.”
Behind every picture-perfect family is a story they don’t show, don’t talk about, or even one they pretend doesn’t exist.
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| Photo by Jonathan Pryke |
Andrew Bovell’s Things I Know to Be True explores the hardest parts of family life. The story follows the struggles each member faces and how, as a family, they deal with them.
It starts with a strong monologue from Rosie (Sophie Johnston), who is travelling alone for the first time. This opening moment was supported with powerful and compelling movement from the rest of the cast, who helped to heighten the emotion while keeping the audience’s attention firmly on Johnston and the story she tells. When Rosie returns home, we meet the rest of the cast — Bob (Paul Beasley), Fran (Nicky Mawer), Pip (Kate Carey), Mark (Joe Allen), and Ben (Richie Phillips).
The cast did a brilliant job establishing a believable family dynamic. It was clear how each child was welcomed differently by Beasley and Mawer, helping to define these relationships for the rest of the show. Throughout the performance, Bob tries his best to take a caring approach to fatherhood, even though he doesn’t always have the answers. Fran, meanwhile, takes a firmer approach as a mother who is stern while still having a soft spot for certain children.
Nadine Beasley’s direction enhanced the performances, and I particularly liked how, as the seasons changed, the cast themselves would change the rose beds. I felt this helped the audience remain immersed in the story while also showing the children were changing over time. The use of the cast during the monologues was also very effective, adding impact and emotion to the play’s most gripping moments exactly where it was needed.
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| Photo by Jonathan Pryke |
The play tackles some challenging themes such as sexuality, identity, life goals, and even some crime; but the cast managed these subjects well, delivering strong performances throughout. A particular favourite was Mawer, who portrayed a strong-willed mother — stubborn at times, but ultimately just trying to navigate motherhood, her own ambitions, and her marriage. Another honourable mention goes to Beasley, whose range of emotion — from pride to devastation — was powerfully conveyed throughout, and Allen for his engaging and convincing performance.
The set, designed by Steph Nicholls, beautifully captured the family’s garden. At times, a clearer division between the porch and kitchen might have helped distinguish when characters were inside or outside, but overall the design created a warm and inviting family setting.
The production was supported by a beautiful, well thought-out soundscape that added depth and atmosphere. This included chirping birds in the day and owls hooting at night, which worked perfectly alongside the lighting design — especially during the thunder and rain sequences, where flashes of lightning and cracks of thunder were perfectly timed.The costumes by John Bale captured each character’s personality and circumstances with subtle detail, helping to draw the audience gently into the world of the story.
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| Photo by Jonathan Pryke |
It was lovely to see more contemporary theatre being performed at The Little Theatre. This production was clearly well received drawing an audience of all ages.
Overall, the production was very well put together, telling a thought-provoking story you will not want to miss.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Things I Know To Be True runs from 10–15 November 2025 at The Little Theatre, Leicester. Tickets are available from https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/
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