Like other great Irish writers,
McGuinness explores themes concerned with death and superstition. In this play,
first performed in the early noughties, members of a middle-class family reunite
to celebrate what would have been their late son/brother’s twenty first
birthday. They meet near the beach where two years previously, Gene, the
youngest of three children committed suicide. Each has coped differently grieving
for the son/brother they knew but little understood. Grief has brought some closer
together, for others it has been divisive and on this special occasion threatens
to tear the family apart.
Set in their Galway holiday home,
the McKenna family, parents Margaret, an English lecturer, Leo, a successful
businessman and Eugene’s two siblings, Louise and Simon are joined for the
special birthday celebration by their eccentric distant cousin, Bridget, who exposes
a dark secret. Performed in the Garrick’s intimate studio theatre this
production is suitably claustrophobic, haunting, and intense.
Most of the play is set in the
family’s kitchen, as the action develops it becomes more like a cauldron as
each member of the family gives voice to their hidden demons as they struggle
to make peace with Gene’s death. Louise and Simon berate their parents for what
they perceive to be an apparent lack of outward grief whilst Margaret and Leo
challenge them to break away from dead-end jobs and realise their full
potentials. An extremely talented ensemble with near faultless Irish accents give
accomplished and deeply moving performances. Tracy Burns is magnificent in conveying
the deepness of a mother’s raw grief as is Sandy McGregor as her husband, whose
breakdown towards the end of the play is truly heart-breaking. As the two
children, Emily Field and Josh Holden give pitch perfect performances, these
roles could easily come across as being bland but in these gifted actors’
capable hands the characters are given wit, vulnerability, and emotional depth.
By far the hardest character to play and the one that has the most dramatic
impact is the witch-like Bridget. She twists myth, legend, and reality to
confuse and upset her relatives, Alison Bowers is superb in portraying the
character’s deep-rooted bitterness, eccentricity, and loneliness. This is a
great cast that delivers McGuinness’ peerless script with a punch.
Directed by David Meller the
production moves at pace, he ensures that the tension never falters and
sensitively handles the moments of intense grief. This was my first visit to
the Garrick Studio and one that I will remember for a long time, not only for the
high quality of acting on display but also for the warm Front of House welcome and
the joy of experiencing live theatre in this dynamic space. The production is
highly recommended.
Runs at the Stockport Garrick
until Saturday 29 April.
Reviewer - Richard Hall
on - 26.4.23
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