Spoilers for Such Small Hands

FINAL SPOILER WARNING FOR “Such Small Hands”>>>>

 

CONTENT ADVISORY

This play explores sensitive and potentially triggering themes. It centers on an elderly couple, Marie and Paul, navigating the late stages of Paul’s terminal illness and dementia. The story unfolds in their home and deals deeply with themes of aging, memory loss, and mortality.

The production includes the following triggering content:

  • Suicide & Assisted Death: Paul frequently talks about wanting to end his life to escape the pain caused by cancer and the loss of his faculties due to dementia. Marie struggles with honoring his wishes while trying to hold on. Ultimately, Paul takes a handful of sleeping pills (with Marie’s reluctant help), believing it will end his life. However, Marie secretly swaps most of them with placebo pills, leaving him to sleep but survive.

  • Chronic Illness and Dementia: Paul’s battle with advanced cancer and dementia is a primary focus. His confusion, forgetfulness, and disorientation are consistent throughout the play, contributing to the emotional and psychological weight of the story.

  • Themes of Hopelessness and Not Wanting to Go On: Paul repeatedly expresses feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and the desire to stop being a burden. He discusses dying as a release from suffering, and there is a persistent undercurrent of existential despair.

  • Adultery/Mention of Past Infidelity: Late in the play, Paul apologizes for having cheated on Marie years ago, which is revealed as one of his life’s regrets. Marie acknowledges and forgives him.

  • Verbal Aggression/Emotional Strain: There are moments of frustration and short bursts of anger, especially from Paul as he battles with his failing memory and physical decline.

  • Substance Use: There are references to taking sleeping pills, discussions about pain medications, and refusal of palliative drugs due to fears of being “behind a wall” of medication. There is also a discussion about Paul’s desire to smoke his old pipe, though it is never actually done onstage.

  • Depictions of Caregiver Strain: Marie’s internal monologues and direct addresses to the audience reveal her emotional exhaustion, internal conflict, and grief as she cares for Paul.