Goodbye To All That

Synopsis

Frank is a 69-year-old man caught between his dutiful but loveless marriage to Iris and his passionate affair with Rita. When Frank suffers a debilitating stroke, his grandson David becomes embroiled in a bitter tug-of-war between the two women. As Frank’s condition deteriorates in a sub-par NHS facility, Rita offers to pay for superior care in a private home – but Iris, clinging to her role as the loyal wife, refuses to share him. Torn between his grandmother’s stubborn pride and his grandfather’s chance at a better life, David must navigate the complex web of love, resentment, and self-sacrifice that binds these characters together.

With poignant humour and unflinching honesty, Goodbye to All That explores the themes of aging, family dynamics, marital strife, and the challenges of end-of-life care in modern Britain. Through the lens of Frank’s decline, Norris offers a searing portrait of a family in crisis, laying bare the fault lines of past grievances and missed opportunities. Deftly weaving together past and present, the play is a testament to the enduring power of love in all its messy, imperfect glory – and a reminder that even in our darkest moments, the chance for redemption is never truly lost.