Written in 1924 by Eugene O'Neill, Desire Under the Elms,
is a story that explores profound human connections and the depths that people
will go to have what they desire. Inspired by the myth of Phaedra,
Hippolytus and Theseus, O'Neill's story is set in New England where
patriarch Ephraim (Darren Mort) returns to his home in New England with
new wife, Abbie (Diana Brumen). This does not bode well with his three
sons (Garikai Jani, Timothy Smith and Sam Lavery) as the tension builds
to a devastating end.Lavery perfectly encapsulates youngest son's Eben's resentment towards his father and the rage that burns inside him, yet at the same time brings to the surface the tenderness and love that he can also feel. His scenes with Brumen are gripping and you're never quite sure which way their story is going to go, even if it is based on a Greek tragedy. Brumen's manipulative and scheming Abbie is convincing, but it is during her horrific and tragic final scenes that she is able to channel everything Abbie has been experiencing until that moment.