EDINBURGH 2023: THE GOOD DAD (A LOVE STORY) Q&A

BWW catches up with Gail Louw to chat about bringing Tell us a bit about The Good Dad (A Love Story) to the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tell us a bit about The Good Dad (A Love Story)

The Good Dad (A Love Story) tells the story of a family and their varied responses, explanations, excuses and reactions to abuse. These responses are not simply directed from the victim to the abuser, but throughout the family. The play highlights the reality of abuse in a family where all members, other than the abuser, are victims. Thus we see not only the response of Donna, and her journey from thirteen year old, picked as 'special' by her father, through her teens and motherhood, into a life with her new partner, also known as Dad, where the vicious cycle begins to assert itself. We also see the effect on Donna's mother, his wife. How does she respond to being the wronged woman when the other woman is her daughter. And Carol, Donna's twin, who has not been chosen and is not deemed special. How do their relationships survive in a toxic, hateful and spiteful household, where all that is holding them together is the need to care for the Dad, because he has a weak heart. How can such a weak heart contain all that love for so many people.

 

Why adapt this story for the stage?

This story is based on a true story told to me by the clinical psychologist who worked with the family. Both the psychologist and I were determined that their identities should be protected at all cost, so a lot of it is different, though the basis is the same. I was very interested in writing the story as a play and particularly as a monologue. It suits theatre so well and provides an enormous challenge to an actor to transform from one to another character within a moment and with nothing to indicate the change other than their artistic skill. Initially I set out to write it as the story of the victim, Donna, the girl abused at a very young age. But as I wrote, I felt I needed to know, from the inside, what the mother was going through. She is after all an extremely central figure in the drama of all their lives. And finally I felt I needed to know what a sibling felt, and I invented a twin for her, to see how it felt to be left out but horrified, traumatised by what her beloved twin was enduring. As with all monologues, I was very aware of knowing at all times, to whom the character was speaking. There is no easy way out, by chatting to the audience. 

 

How has it been received so far?

It has had several outings and has been very well received. It had three OFFIES nominations, for Best Lead Performer, Best Director, and Best Play. It has also been published by Methuen Drama (Bloomsbury) and the book is available to be bought at all the performances and via Bloomsbury.

 

Who would you like to come and see it?

This play is relevant for all demographics, all ages over 14, and all genders. It is relevant for people interested in personal and family dramas, people interested in the relationship between victims and abusers, the way power is used to enable and perpetuate abuse, and the depth of love within families and the extent to which this will take them. In addition, it is a masterclass in theatre with Sarah Lawrie delivering an extraordinary performance as all three women, and garnering enormous praise from reviewers and audiences alike.

 

What would you like audiences to take away from it?

A greater understanding of both the width and depth of the effects of abuse within a family; how it is enabled, how it is fought against. How love endures, in both positive and negative ways. How love provides an excuse, and a sense of entitlement over those one professes to love. And finally the effects, and ethics, of punishment.

 

The Good Dad (A Love Story) is at The Space at Surgeons' Hall, Theatre 2, 4 - 26 August 2023 (not 13 August), 21:15. For tickets go to:

tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/good-dad-a-love-story

Photo credit: Anne Koerber

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