There's such a thing as unhealthy family dysfunction. And in Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind, dysfunction is so rampant, the family is beyond repair. The play takes place in the American West, where two families are brought together through the marriage of Jake and Beth. Beating his wife until she's hospitalized, Jake must not only deal with the consequences of his physical destruction but the troubled relationships he has with his in-laws, crazy mother and rational sister. Dealing with issues of abuse, love and insanity, the play examines what happens when one grows up amongst tragedy and despair. This production contains adult material and may not be suitable for children. A Lie of the Mind runs at the Addison Theatre Centre, 15650 Addison Road until November 14. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $20. For more information, visit secondthoughttheatre.com.
Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.; Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Starts: Oct. 29. Continues through Nov. 14, 2009