A nuanced account of relatability is what director Dylan Evans is hoping to achieve from his adaptation of Florian Zeller’s The Son. The play “tells the story of Nicolas: he’s 17, almost 18, his parents have divorced and he’s depressed” begins Dylan. He continues by explaining that “over the course of the play, we see the effect this has on him and his behaviour, as well as on his parents Pierre and Anne, and on his father’s new wife Sofia.” A tale of complex family relationships and teenage identity, The Son promises to portray the issues it handles with care and intensity.

“It’s an issue that hits so close to home for so many, it’s been important that we get it right”

When asked about how he intends to approach such issues, Dylan explains that while “Nicolas is depressed, it can’t be a monolithic state for the entire show.” Dylan emphasises that since “it’s an issue that hits so close to home for so many, it’s been important that we get it right.” For this reason, the cast has “approached it openly, and have had discussions about remembering to treat their characters as a whole.” He also believes that “the characters are richly nuanced, and [he] thinks the audience will find things to relate to.” In the play Nicolas exists in a state of passivity; he is skipping classes, lying, and in the middle of two familial worlds. Hoping for change, he moves in with his father and her new wife, but, after feeling displaced, he decides to move back in with his mother. Dylan describes the play as an exploration of “what happens when the options run out” – a sentiment which he wants to encourage conversations about.

Dylan hopes “people will go away thinking about the issue of teenage mental health in the real world.” Especially at a University where help may feel far too inaccessible, Dylan believes that “this play poses more questions than answers”. Hoping that this production encourages greater awareness about mental health on a global, university, and Cambridge Theatre scale, Dylan outlines the sad truth that many at this university will relate to this play all too well. He explains that “just a couple of years ago, Nicolas was a smiling, happy, boy”, and emphasises that this is a play that seeks to show that depression doesn’t have a simple root, but instead stems from a multiplicity of factors.

“[It is a] touching and emotional story, with characters that people relate to – and is also excellently performed”

Describing the biggest challenges he, the cast, and the production team have faced, Dylan commented how “getting the show ready for so early on in the term,” as well as “approaching some of the tricky content in the play” have posed struggles. However, he commends “the whole cast and creative team [for being] amazing, and fostering an open atmosphere where we’ve been able to have some great discussions before cracking on with getting the show finished.”

Dylan also said that the highlight, for him, has been “working with such a tremendous group of people across the whole team to tell his story.” He also adds that his favourite scene in the play is “the dancing at the start of the second act” which everyone “really enjoyed rehearsing.” If you’d like to watch a really “touching and emotional story, with characters that people relate to – and is also excellently performed”, Dylan strongly believes that watching The Son may be the Week 1 activity you’ve been searching for.

The Son by Florian Zeller is on at the ADC Theatre from Tuesday 3rd – Saturday 7th May.