The Good Dad (A Love Story)

Theatre (solo show, true-life)

  • theSpace @ Surgeons Hall - Theatre 2
  • 21:15
  • Aug 26
  • 50 minutes
  • Suitability: 16+ (Guideline)
  • Country: United Kingdom - England
  • Group: And Tomorrow Theatre Company
  • Warnings and additional info: Contains distressing or potentially triggering themes, Scenes of sexual violence
  • Accessibility:
    Wheelchair Accessible Toilets
    May not apply to all performances. You'll find more information about accessibile performances and how to book tickets in the accessibility tab below.
  • Babes in arms policy: Babies do not require a ticket
  • Policy applies to: Children under 18 months

Description

The whole family knew he was a good dad. A really good dad. And Donna was special; he loved her the most. So why is Donna in prison? Based on real events from the 1980s, The Good Dad is a haunting family drama by multi-award winning playwright Gail Louw. Told from the unique perspectives of mother, daughter and sister, this three-time Off West End Award-nominated solo show is presented in support of the charity Victim Support. 'See it and marvel at an actress right on top of her game' (CloseUpCulture.com).

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General venue access

  • Wheelchair Accessible Toilets
  • Accessible entry: Information not supplied
  • Wheelchair access type: Level Access

  • Stairs: Information not supplied

Each venue can contain several space with different accessibly information. Visit the venue page for full venue accessibility info


How and when to make an access booking

Our access tickets service is available to anyone who:

  • Would like to book specific accessibility services, e.g. a hearing loop, audio description headsets, captioning units, seating in relation to the location of the BSL interpreter
  • Requires extra assistance when at a venue
  • Has specific seating requirements
  • Is a wheelchair user
  • Requires a complimentary personal assistant ticket to attend a performance

Jonathan Smith 96 days ago

The Good Dad (A Love Story) is an ironically titled play about the effect of an abusive father on a family. In this one woman show, Sarah Lawrie effectively plays three female members of the family, differentiating them by subtle changes of clothing, to portray their surprisingly different perspectives of the story. The narrative is so disturbing that it seems barely credible but it is based on real events and conveyed well by the actor. As she explains at the end, the play is produced in support of the charity Victim Support and is an impressive and worthy production.

Matthew Saunders 100 days ago

Very moving and powerful. A great performance.

Deborah S 104 days ago

A masterclass in acting and how to deliver a disturbing subject with a thought provoking script.

Kate Bartlett 106 days ago

A hard-hitting piece about a hard subject. Very skilfully acted and leaving much food for thought beyond the initial, instinctive revulsion at the situation described.
We need to continually revisit these issues as society seems poorly equipped to stop them happening but we must keep trying.

Shirley H 107 days ago

Based upon a true story there can be no justification for this terrible behaviour. It raises many questions about how this could ever have happened, and continued to happen. Why did nobody speak out? Not even the Mother. A highly powerful performance form Gail Louw, a talented and impressive actress.

Nicola Hillhouse 112 days ago

Fabulous performance dealing with incest, coercive control and domestic abuse. The very talented actress plays all the characters convincingly. Be prepared to be gripped, disturbed and entertained. A ‘must see’ show.

Sean Davis 113 days ago

The Good Dad (A Love Story) (****)
A woman plays many family members in a story about a twin sister who has four children by her father. This powerful true story does a good job of delving into the group denial and personal abuse that allows such things to happen. The twin sister character demonstrates how even an un-abused person can be affected.


This is the23rd most enjoyable of the 62 shows I have seen so far at the Fringe this year. I hope to see almost 200. You may see my other three-sentence reviews, in order from most enjoyable to worst, at my non-commercial website: https://fringefan.com/

Olga Moss 114 days ago

Watched 3 shows on 2 for 1 Monday with my friend : IMA, Best of Cabaret and The God Dad, all 3 were superb. BUT both of us agreed this one is the top notch. The amazingly talented and skilled actress delivered a memorising performance thou the subject is quite disturbing.

Angus 116 days ago

This is a stunning performance, incredibly powerful. It isnt a show I can say I "liked" because of the subject matter, but wow what a performance - so intense, sparse, flawless, beautifully done. The Fringe at its best, definitely recommend adding this to your mix for a stunning, memorable performance that will move you.


Participants - for further details on our audience and published review policies, including how to add or opt out of reviews, please click here.

Theatre, Films, and Art Reviews (5/5 stars) 97 days ago

This is a play that deserves to be seen.

Read the full review

The Student (4/5 stars) 112 days ago

Lawrie depicts these women with the empathy and honesty their story deserves. Her performance is a commendable feat.

Read the full review


Participants - for further details on our audience and published review policies, including how to add or opt out of reviews, please click here.

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Participants - for further details on our audience and published review policies, including how to add or opt out of reviews, please click here.