" Bruised": A Family's True Colours.

Here are scenes from a new play called " Bruised". I saw it this week at Theatr Clwyd. It's written by Matthew Trevannion and directed by Kate Wassenberg and it's the Welsh element of Theatr Clwyd's Celtic Festival.

"Bruised" tells of a hard up Welsh family living in a flat in Pontypool  ... AND it's an intricate and beautiful sketching of family patterns...how they repeat and repeat and repeat...and there are glimpses of ways of both loving and hating...of harsh claustrophobic relationships........ AND although set in Wales, it reflects the sadnesses, the small precious joys of many families anywhere....

A grownup son returns after years away, a mother clings to her sanity, a daughter awaits the birth of a babe... whose dad sells drugs, whose dad is violent, whose dad is abusive...AND  I was moved....very moved...BUT sometimes, yes, amused......because even amongst the dreadfulness of this family's life, there was a dark bewitching humour... AND yes,  I was also silenced too... ....by storyline, by superb writing, by powerful acting from a talented cast who showed us the strengths/weaknesses dwelling side by side in one small, troubled family.

It was heartbreaking. It was special. It was not what I was expecting. We revelled in every minute.