Emotions ran high at Waterdown's Memorial Hall last Friday, as Village Theatre delivered a powerful performance of Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind.

Set in the 1960s, the play tells the story of two families joined together by a marriage that is filled with violence and love. Beth, portrayed here by Mary-Elizabeth Willcott, is a battered wife who slowly recovers from a brain injury inflicted by her husband, Jake (Tony Ashbee), who believes that his last attack cost his wife her life.

Willcott's performance of Beth, who suffers aphasia-like symptoms, conveys her character's physical challenges remarkably; her facial expressions and speech pattern illustrate Beth's difficulty with verbal communication.

Ashbee infuses his characterization of Jake with emotion and uses his powerful voice to depict his feelings of guilt and remorse.

Determined to help his brother Jake, Frankie (Lyle Block-Collins) leaves California and makes the long trip to Beth's family home in Montana on a quest to find out if his sister-in-law was in fact murdered. Upon his arrival, Beth's father, Baylor, a hunter, accidentally shoots Frankie in the leg. As a result, Beth's family takes the injured man into their home, but makes sure to let Frankie know he's not welcome.

Prohibited from calling his brother long-distance in California, Frankie is left trying to make sense of situation. As Beth slowly recovers from her injuries and gains strength and independence, she finds comfort in the arms of her husband's brother, setting up the dramatic conflict of the play.

Directed by Peter Feldman, A Lie of the Mind presents the two families as mirror images of each other. Portraying dysfunction, the characters depict the array of personalities that we find in life on a daily basis.

Jake's mother Lorraine, played by Theresa Cooke, was a breath of fresh air throughout the opening night performance of A Lie of the Mind. Her dark sense of humor helped bring laughter to the dramatic, emotion-filled script. Kerry Corrigan, as Beth's mother Meg, also brought a touch of humour to the drama, recounting the eccentric tales of her relatives.

A Lie of the Mind is an intense drama aimed at mature audiences, with emotionally complex themes not suitable for the younger set.

Produced by Michael Mavin, A Lie of the Mind is slated to run tonight (February 29) and March 1, 6, 7 and 8 at Memorial Hall (317 Dundas St. E.) in Waterdown. All shows are at 8 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (905) 690-7889 or via email at mail@villagetheatrewaterdown.ca. For more information on A Lie of the Mind, please visit www.villagetheatrewaterdown.ca.