Ugly Lies the Bone

‘Beauty is but skin deep, ugly lies the bone; beauty dies and fades away, but ugly holds its own.’

After three tours of duty in Afghanistan, wounded veteran Jess finally returns home to Florida, where she must confront her scars - and a hometown that may have changed even more than her.

Undergoing an experimental virtual reality therapy, she builds a breathtaking new world where she can escape her pain. As Jess advances further into that world, she begins to restore her relationships, her life and, slowly, herself.

Lindsey Ferrentino’s play Ugly Lies the Bone received its European premiere at the National Theatre, London, in 2017, in a production directed by Indhu Rubasingham and starring Kate Fleetwood. It was a New York Times Critics’ Pick during its sold-out run Off-Broadway in 2015.

‘One of the most painfully truthful portraits of sibling relationships that I have seen in a long time’
- Telegraph

‘A winningly empathetic piece… messy humanity [is] reflected by a play that’s similarly heartfelt… plenty of welcome humour’
- Broadway World

‘Ferrentino’s writing is deeply felt and often touching’
- Hollywood Reporter