Honesty is the best policy, especially if you’re an addict but even if you’re not; so, if you’re like me and felt the need to look up the word ‘Sisyphean’, then I hope this makes you feel seen. I’ll save you the Google-search and walk you through it: the word is an adjective inspired by the mythological story of Sisyphus who was punished and forced to roll a boulder up a hill repeatedly for eternity.

Eternity… that’s what it can feel like to care and devote yourself to an addict in the same way sisters Krista (played by Bettina Paris) and Pip (played by Tina Rizzo) did for their father in the play A Sisyphean Quick-Fix – a sharp and poignant two-hander debut by Paris, tightly directed by UK-based Nicky Allpress at the perfectly suited black box Theatre Next Door.

First off, the show lived up to its expectations of being a “quick fix” because it was exactly that. I wish it lasted longer than its 60-minute duration. I was so engrossed in its tenderly chaotic storyline that I was left wanting more – a true testament to Paris’s writing.

The chemistry between the characters was electric; Rizzo and Paris bounced off each other as effortlessly as a tennis ball in a championship match, making their sisterly dynamic all the more credible and enjoyable to watch, and the casting even more commendable.

The plot is self-explanatory: two sisters attempt to navigate through their father’s draining alcohol addiction while trying not to lose grips with their own lives in tandem.

The opening scene, which sets the tone for pretty much the entire play, is peppered with a flurry of frantic phone calls in Malta, unintentionally sabotaged audition prospects in London and worrisome realisations that their father is indeed back to his old ways, forcing older sister Krista to travel back home to Malta to offer a much needed shoulder to Pip who, following their parents’ separation and Krista’s departure to London, became their father’s primary caregiver.

The girls’ life is nothing short of an exasperating and emotionally depleting juggling act

The girls’ life is nothing short of an exasperating and emotionally depleting juggling act. It’s evident from the get-go, or at least it is to me, that Krista is seemingly the closest to him, and the only one whose phone-call he answers after having ignored a succession of Pip’s panicked calls on the same night out.

The script wore its heart on its sleeve, funny at the right moments, smart and consistently well thought out – a clear labour of love and another protagonist of the show itself, one which deserved crisper lighting when transitioning from scene to scene.

The lighting was groggy, well-lit at times and lazy at others, very much like their father who we never actually meet but is clearly the drunk elephant in the room throughout the piece.

The stage was left bare, with the exception of two large boxes, a coat hanger and the odd prop splayed out on the floor, shifting the audience’s focus straight to the protagonists’ captivating performances and gripping storylines. Floors littered with glass bottles only served to amplify their father’s heart wrenching and lengthy battle with alcoholism.

It becomes evident very early on that no amount of derailed dreams, flights back home, emptied wallets, hidden shoes or discarded whiskey bottles could save their father from this path he had forged for himself and them in turn.

Both sisters are left yearning for a life that isn’t riddled with forced responsibilities and an alcoholic father whom they feel an obligation to love despite the pain he’s so obviously continuing to inflict upon them. This is especially prevalent in Krista, who has normalised her father’s behaviour to a concerning degree. But can anyone blame her? This is really the only version of her father she knows.

Pip seems to have a firmer grip on reality, actively taking a step back to distance herself from the issue when her sister travels back to care for their father.

An exciting scripting debut for Paris. I look forward to more.

Now off to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the first leg of the show’s run in Malta was supported by Sedqa, Malta’s leading support agency for individuals battling addiction and their loved ones. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please reach out on their support line 179 today.