Livin Dred’s physicality matches Synge’s dialogue

REVIEW: The Playboy of the Western World

Normal life in an impoverished Mayo townland is thrown into chaos when a stranger arrives with a dark story.

I couldn’t help but think about Trump’s America (sorry for bringing him up) at Livin Dred’s production of Playboy of the Western World in the Ramor Arts Centre last Thursday night. Not that he’s anything like ‘The Donald’, but Christy Mahon essentially becomes a disruptive force when the ‘fact’ emerges he’s killed his Da. How do people react when such an unthinkable thing happens?

Here the other characters project their own hopes (especially Pegeen Mike) and fears onto this ambiguous figure. With growing confidence Christy learns to play on their Mahon derangement syndrome. Then there’s the opportunist Widow Quinn, who like the tech oligarchs of today, astutely reads the situation and seeks to exploit opportunities the new guy presents.

Obviously Trump wasn’t on Synge’s mind when he penned Playboy over a century ago, but such is the script’s genius it resonates in different ways with each passing decade.

Occasionally the poetic turn of phrase can be almost too rich to take it all in. However Livin Dred’s cast kept the rhythmic dialogue pulsing along commendably under Aaron Monaghan’s direction.

Naoise Dunbar excelled in the lead role. He beautifully conveyed Christy’s oscillating levels of confidence, as much through his physicality as his delivery. His rapport with Eilish McLaughlin as Pegeen Mike sparkled when they commanded the stage alone. Pegeen ‘the fright of seven townlands’ for her ‘biting tongue’ Eilish scaled to the screeching heights when her fiery character was provoked.

Amelia Crowley arguably claimed performance of the night as the Widow Quinn. At times the Derry Girls actor lowered her defences to show the widow’s vulnerability, and loneliness in trying to entice Christy to share her houseen. When her amorous advances are rejected Amelia is believable as the worldly widow brushes aside the setback and swiftly recalibrates her aims to try to ease her own poverty. A condition besets almost all of the characters.

The widow was also involved in one of the play’s most memorable scenes; along with Philly Cullen (Gerard Byrne), Jimmy Farrell (Sean T Ó Meallaigh) and Old Mahon (Garrett Lombard) the four brought to life a thrilling mule race that was happening off stage.

The entire support cast were very strong - Catriona Williams (Sarah Tansey), Meadhbh Maxwell (Susan Brady) and Ciara Ivie (Honor Blake) were brilliant as an eegity trio of girls who crashed onto the stage in a whirlwind of giggles and giddiness, skipping atop tables and chairs with the natural ease of mountain goats.

John Olohan played the affable yet feckless Michael James to its comedic height, as did Colin Campbell in his hilarious portrayal of the snivelling halfwit Shawn Keogh.

Set in a single day, the play takes huge lurches in tone, which in lesser hands could jar. Credit to Aaron Monaghan’s direction and the actors, when moments of tenderness, poignancy or drama arrived, they hit home with the audience - none more so than the dramatic climax when Pegeen regrettably betrays Christy. The set up was preposterous as a gang of terrified men hung onto a huge rope to lasso Christy, yet it evoked a sombre Garden of Eden atmosphere, courtesy in part to Suzie Cummins’ light design, which excelled throughout.

While the dialogue sings, this production is visually superb - not just the set, lighting and costumes, but the physicality of the acting - special mention for Ó Meallaigh’s balletic performance of the plastered Farrell. The whole drama was exquisitely choreographed - had the action paused at any time, the scene would have been perfectly composed.

Livin Dred’s The Playboy of the Western World calls to Longford’s Backstage Theatre on February 11-12. Catch them as they make The Playboy great again.