As adults people find it hard to relate to an abusive father, which is
part of why, as long as Dr. Johnson lived, his family remained
estranged. But when they come together to await his imminent
death, they are forced to face what they have tried to put behind
them. They get connected to a past filled with accusations,
innuendo, pain and regret and discover that some deep hurt and
shame is still raw and unresolved. The conflict quickly becomes
serious when "secrets" are revealed and family members discover
that their own personal experiences were far from isolated. All of
them have been affected, each in his or her own way. Ambiguity
surfaces in the play when the siblings see evidence of the abusers
love for them.
