DARK FOREST THEATRE PRESENTS​​

​

A tale of the power of a lie

​

“I think we both knew we were making a mistake. But over time, I thought—one day, one day we’ll be honest with each other, and we’ll try to find happiness. But that happiness never came. Not for either of us, did it?''

​

Ruth and Oscar’s marriage is quietly falling apart. Childless, sexless, and hollowed by silence, they live more as strangers than as lovers. One evening, Ruth invites Eva in for a drink. In a rare moment of vulnerability, she is comforted. But when her devout sister Alma witnesses the scene, she interprets it as something more—and sets in motion a chain of events that unravels the lives of everyone involved.

Set in 1950s Belfast, this bold and intimate drama—written and directed by Nathan Martin—premiered during LGBTQIA+ Awareness Week in 2023 in partnership with The Rainbow Project. The production explores the mental health struggles within the queer community, confronting themes of internalised homophobia, sexual identity, and the fragile search for happiness and love in a society ruled by repression and fear.