When a play about life on a farm opens with a suicide attempt, it commands your attention.

But before it begins, the first thing you notice when you walk into the theatre is that the writers, producers and set designers have every intention of transporting you to another environment: one of a strained family life on a working farm. A crisp smell of wood hits you first as you enter the theatre and a hint of smoke from a burning log fire lingers from the stage. Uplifting bird songs chime along with sheep and cow voices in the background.

Then quickly we are ushered into an intimate view of a farmer’s family, where something is amiss.

A young girl's suicide attempt is thwarted by a handsome stranger and we are left to wonder - why? With Hitchcock-like suspense handled expertly throughout, we are left to question the motivations and mindsets of all four central characters: a brother and sister, their father and the stranger who has walked into their lives. At times you sense a murder scene may be coming, other times a love story, while still other times you get the feeling that you are waiting for an imminent tragedy to unfold. But along the way these richly developed characters give us glimpses of who they are and what makes them tick. We are left empathizing with each character - a rare feat for writers to achieve.

The visual elements of the play are well thought-out and not overdone. In fact, the set it sparsely decorated and relies on a central backdrop of wood pillars to represent everything from the family house, to the farm, to a caravan located on the property. In this way the focus falls on the expert craft of the actors instead of ornate distractions. The subtle movement of a few key pieces of wooden blocks and crates, along with superb acting transport the viewer effortlessly from scene to scene. Because the actors themselves are doubling as stage hands, rearranging the sets between acts, there is never a break in the continuity. We are brought into their rural landscape and remain there for the entirety of the play.

Timing of scenes is also impeccable, with the dialogue a mix of snappy one-liners coupled with thoughtful phrases and observations. The result is dialogue reminiscent of a good musical score and it’s matched beautifully with some well-chosen music that transitions the scenes. The Director's choice of accenting a few key scenes with retro music from the 90s helps to add life and a bit of irony.

With timeless themes like love, lust, greed and jealousy juxtaposed with subtle displays that make us question family bonds and our compassion for animals, the show might be more aptly named “Twelve Miles From Anywhere”.

A post-show discussion with the characters and audience revealed the passion that the actors have towards their craft. One cast member commented on a desire for more young people to come and benefit from the experience of seeing the show. I concur.