Irish pubs seem to be taking over theatreland at the moment with this finely honed revival of Conor McPherson’s award-winning drama (first seen in 1997) following hard on the heels of the stage version of the Dublin based indie film Once.
This time, though, we’re in a rural bar (a convincingly detailed set by designer Tom Scutt) where the locals are intrigued by the arrival of a new neighbour, an attractive single woman in her thirties who’s being given the guided tour by property developer Finbar (Risteard Cooper), the one who got away, married and made some money, leaving behind his rather resentful old drinking companions.
In the course of 100 or so interval free minutes, these lonely men without women drink too much, try to impress with unnervingly spooky tales of the supernatural and, when it’s time to go home, are reluctant to let her go as though she too, like the ghostly subjects of their stories, will disappear into the night without trace.
Perfectly cast – Brian Cox compelling as aging garage owner Jack who’s never stopped regretting letting a long-ago chance of happiness slip from his grasp, Ardal O’Hanlon painfully awkward as middle-aged Jim who still lives with his ailing mother, Peter McDonald as indecisive publican Brendan, pouring half pints of warm white wine for Dervla Kirwan’s touchingly understated Valerie who has her own devastating story to tell – Josie Rourke’s atmospheric production confirms this lyrical, haunting play as a modern classic and whets the appetite for McPherson’s new work which opens here in June.
Donmar
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