Good With Faces @ Summerhall

A living room featuring little more than children’s toys and a violin case presents what appears to be an unassuming domestic set-up. But the conspicuous camera in the corner suggests otherwise; indeed, writer and director Oisín Kearney’s psychological thriller is far from what you might expect.

When a social worker pays a visit to a single mother, an awkward exchange of pleasantries establishes two contrasting characters: Garrick (Clodagh Mooney Duggan), sharp, poised and forthcoming with detail, and Heggarty (Patrick McBrearty), honest, clumsy and amiable. When we learn the precise reason for Heggarty’s visit – an unexplained bruise on Garrick’s son – cracks emerge in the facade.

Through excellent pacing and crisp direction, the audience is drip-fed the details of a puzzling story. Eerie realisations come from unexpected places, some of which have been hiding in plain sight the whole time. It’s quickly clear that Garrick is hiding something, and Heggarty is certainly more suspicious than he lets on. The masterful control in both performances brings depth to each character, and as the layers are peeled back, it becomes clear that there’s more at play than a simple case of abuse. The power dynamic swings between the pair several times over, and the audience begins to question not only who’s accountable, but also who exactly is the victim.

A show that questions moral duties, professional boundaries and the threat of scars hidden deep beneath the surface, Good With Faces’ gripping performances and razor-sharp writing lead us to a distorted, disturbed ending – though one which somehow manages to feel oddly fitting.

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Good With Faces, Summerhall (Tech Cube 0), until 31 Aug (not 18, 25), 4.20pm, £18-20.50