Directed by Eleanor Conlon and John Retallack, Turning Leaves is a play about justifying unethical, illegal behaviour, and the arbitrary ways that behaviour is judged.

The play comprises of three monologues, performed sequentially. The first centres on a young female teacher who builds a sexual relationship with a teenage student. The second tells the experiences of a man who inflicts grievous bodily harm using unthinkable methods. The final monologue comes from the judge who sentences them for their crimes.

The young teacher (Jessica Blake), reflects on the joy of being around young boys who are, in her words, "aggressively vital". She explains her relationship allows her to feel the power of youth and passion when she feels that her expectations of life are diminishing.

She feels no contrition for her actions. She desperately clings to thoughts like "it's only a matter of months before he turns 16". She is aware of the issues of duty of care and power abuse but they do not concern her. She argues that she has to follow her desires, just so she can have this experience.

The second monologue, told by Danny (Steve Hay) tells a story that is likewise reprehensible. Danny has inflicted serious injuries on another man, but feels his behaviour is justified because of his history. He served in the armed forces until he was injured and couldn't continue. Back home, he received very little support. He resorted to drugs and crime, while he treated his wife in a controlling manner ("It's really just in her best interests to do what I tell her," he says).

The two characters are assessed in the third monologue by the judge (Glen Kinch). The teacher gets off with a suspended sentence, while Danny is imprisoned for years. It is clear that the play positions the judge similarly to the way it positions the other characters – he desperately justifies his position on the facts of the respective cases, but his thinking is clouded by notions of gender and class. How can a wealthy, pretty, Oxford alumna hurt anyone, even a child, through her actions? In contrast, how can this low class, male thug fairly place blame in a lack of social support for his actions?

The acting carried the evocative script (written by Eleanor Conlon and Jaime Woodham) convincingly and, at times, movingly. However, the point the play was making about double standards was jarringly ham-fisted – by the end I felt like I was being lectured to, and without much nuance.

It's a pity because the issues of justice explored by Turning Leaves are absolutely relevant and were strikingly delivered.