★★★ 2011 Samuel French Canadian Play Contest ★★★
★★★ King’s Cross Award for New Writing ★★★
★★★ Tarragon Theatre’s RBC Under 30 National Playwriting Competition ★★★

“Claustrophobic, intense, and intriguing, Evan Placey’s tight domestic drama focuses on the mother of the accused, rather than the perpetrator” – The Stage

“Not a false note in the entire play” - Whatsonstage

In Canada, blanketed in snow, one shocking incident shifts the world’s focus. 

Suddenly, radios buzz nonstop, 

televisions air continuous coverage, and reporters’ cameras flash in a relentless frenzy.

“Your son raped three women in one night.”

Confusion gives way to anger, fear, and guilt, driving Brenda, the perpetrator’s mother, into a maze with no escape. 

Will she sacrifice for him, or be sacrificed because of him? 

As she confronts the truth, what choice will she ultimately make?

The Precarious Line Between a Mother’s Instinct and Human Reason

Celebrated for her irreplaceable presence across theater, film, and television, Kim Sun-young returns to the stage after seven years. 

Chaos erupts when Brenda’s seemingly ordinary son, Matthew, is named the prime suspect in a horrific crime. 

Portraying his mother, Kim Sunyoung unravels the turmoil of a woman caught between instinct and reason,

 delivering raw and explosive moments of confusion and anguish. 

The fundamental themes of instinct and reason are meticulously woven together by director Ryu Joo-yeon,

 known for her exploration of human complexity. With an unsparing gaze, she brings the unsettling truth to light. 

As the final candle flickers out on the revolving stage, we are left to confront a new dilemma.

SYNOPSIS

A son who once felt familiar now seems like a stranger. 

A storm of condemnation closes in from all sides. A mother turns into both a victim and a monster. 

How far does a mother’s love go, and what at what cost?

It seems like a morning like any other as Brenda prepares breakfast for her two sons. 

But today, her face is splashed across the cover of every newspaper. 

Jason refuses to go to school, while her teenage son, Matthew, is under house arrest upstairs. 

Matthew has committed a terrible crime, and as Brenda fights for him to be sentenced as a child, she is forced to confront an unsettling truth.

Written by Evan Placey

Evan is a Canadian-British playwright and screenwriter who lives in London, UK.

His debut play Mother of Him won the inaugural RBC National Playwriting Award at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto,

the King’s Cross Award in the UK, and the Samuel French Canadian Play Award in the USA.

The play went on to be produced internationally and was adapted for BBC Radio.

It was revived at the Park Theatre, London.

Major Works

Girls Like That, Orange Polar Bear, Keepy Uppy, Consensual,

Jekyll & Hyde, Pronoun, WiLd!, Scarberia, Holloway Jones, Banana Boys

Directed by Ryu Joo-yeon

Director of Theater Company Sansuyu

Ryu Joo-yeon is renowned for her nuanced portrayals of diverse characters’ inner worlds and her ability to forge deep emotional connections with audiences.

She has gained recognition for her skillful adaptations of translated works,

including Gyeongnam Changnyeong-gun Gilgok-myeon, Nukegara, and Twelve Angry Men.

By emphasizing natural expression and universal emotions,

she effectively overcomes the challenges of localization, making her works resonate powerfully with viewers.

Major Works

GOTT, Twelve Angry Men, You Don’t Know Your Son, The Fear Begins, Nooran Nooran,

Regretters, Strange Journey, Constellations, Gyeongnam Changnyeong-gun Gilgok-myeon, 1945