“This is one of the most astonishing debuts I have seen in more than 30 years of theatre reviewing. Its author, Polly Stenham, just 19 when she wrote a play that sent me reeling into the night […] In every respect this is a remarkable and unforgettable piece of theatre.”- Daily Telegraph. Polly Stenham displays a remarkable understanding for dramatic motive and drive in her debut. This is an absurd comical portrayal of a dysfunctional family in decay. We encounter two children of divorced parents that are left to themselves by a desperate housewife. Whilst the daughter, Mia who is about to be expelled from school, wants to break away from everyone except her brother, he sinks into a frightening oedipal role-play in his attempts to deal with his alcoholic mother by himself. When the father returns from America, the son finally snaps at the sight of his mother’s shameless actions. THAT FACE premiered at The Royal Court Theatre in 2007 and is the most critically acclaimed British play in ages. Stenham received an Evening Standards 2007 Charles Wintour Award, Critics’ Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright and a 2007 Best New Play TMA Award. The production transferred to West End (Duke of York’s Theatre) in May 2008. ”Remarkable” – Variety.
