What does a family do when a loved one inexplicably begins to behave irrationally and falls ill before their eyes? What do they do? What can they do? When the glue that holds a family together gives way. the ideas of identity and belonging are brought into question and expose the fragility of the self.

When Brenda’s health declines, turning her and her family’s worlds upside down, her family comes together. However, they have to confront truths that challenge their conception of family, and then come to terms with their altered reality. Brends’s eldest son Eric struggles with his emotions as he grapples with his mothers circumstances and the uncomfortable secrets unearthed, all while he and his wife Sarah are starting a family of their own. Steve, Eric’s younger brother, returns to add to Eric’s turmoil. Finally, John, Brenda’s doctor, helps the family to navigate the turbulent waters of illness and the inevitable death of their parent.

Bernie Maxwell has more than twenty-five years’ experience as an actor, playwright and producer for GRAPA in Griffith NSW. His writing style reflects the theatre that he adores watching, that is character-driven with real-to-life stories that evoke recognition and emotional responses from audiences, and pose interesting challenges to the cast and crew alike. Bernie has been nominated for a number of Canberra Area Theatre (CAT) Awards for acting and writing.