The Lion's Mouth

Synopsis

A cluttered kitchen, where an untouched ironing board stands as a silent witness to simmering family tensions.

Sarah, a worried mother, enters her home to find her son Ben locked in a tense standoff with his father Peter. Ben has just revealed a freshly inked lion tattoo, defiantly justifying it as a means of identification in case of disaster. As Peter’s anger and fear bubble to the surface, their daughter Annie sits quietly in the corner, crafting paper flowers – her own form of quiet rebellion against the chaos engulfing the family. The fragile equilibrium is further strained by unspoken anxieties about the world beyond their walls.

Alexandra Wood’s play is a searing exploration of family dynamics in the face of unseen but ever-present threats. Through sharp dialogue and tightly wound scenes, she examines themes of control, mortality, and the generational divide. The play’s structure, alternating between tense confrontations and moments of surreal intrusion, mirrors the characters’ struggle to maintain normalcy in an increasingly abnormal world. The Lion’s Mouth offers a poignant and often unsettling look at how fear can warp love and good intentions into something far more destructive.