Patrick Jones’ play begins in sitcom territory and for some time reminded me of the worst examples of the genre - deliberately so . Ex-miner Ernest is a joker who, with his Elvis impersonations and bad accents is often irritatingly upbeat as he seeks to raise the spirits of dementia sufferer Mary (Olwen Rees), the terminally ill Rachel (superbly played by Sharon Morgan), and the infirm TV addict Mrs. Hartson (Lynn Hunter) as they while away their time in a hospice.

However the comedy soon dissolves as their sadness and fear come to the fore. Each character has a tale to tell as they deal with their illnesses in different ways. Mary deludes herself that her husband still visits her and sees her beloved dandelions as a metaphor in her rare moments of clarity. Ernest’s obsession with books is symbolic of his determination to cling to life and Mrs. Hartson is glued to the box as she hides the truth behind a diet of ‘Strictly’ and ‘Deal or no deal’.

Ernest’s love of Rachel is one of the most affecting elements as she faces the end and there is clear anger, fear, bravery, questioning of religion and gentle beauty in turn. Ernest’s changing persona is well portrayed by Anthony Leader.

This wonderfully acted, thought-provoking and deeply moving production (directed by Michael Kelligan) runs until Saturday 14th September.