Review: Buried Secrets, Family Drama Ignite In Family Ties

The Saturday, 16 November showing of Family Ties by Open Waters Theatre closed to resounding applause at a nearly packed National Cultural Centre. Written and directed by 35-year-old Tito Adams, the play wove a gripping tale around the Harris family—a household of four navigating the turbulent coming-of-age journeys of its youngest members. At the heart of the drama were Sarah, portrayed by Keziah Annius, and Abby, played by Clairissa Robinson, in commanding performances. The play opens with a charged scene: 16-year-old Sarah and a nervous 17-year-old Dereck, played by Richard Ashton, alone in the Harris household, reeling from the revelation that Sarah is pregnant. From this moment, the story surges forward, its pace building with a suspenseful intensity akin to watching a balloon swell to its limit, teetering on the edge of an inevitable burst. Tension rises further as the entire Harris family gathers under one roof to welcome Abby and her new partner Jared, played by Tevin Auguste. Having just flown in for a visit, Abby—the older of the two siblings—sets the stage for audiences to uncover the dynamics that make openness within their family so fraught. John Harris, the patriarch, is a pastor, and the family has a...