Martin McDonagh’s darkly satirical exploration of violence, extremism, and the cyclical nature of retribution resonates as much with today’s challenges of nationalism, radicalism, and unchecked ideology as it did to Ireland’s troubled past when, having been written in 1994, it eventually premiered in 2001.
For all the talk of good luck when a black cat crosses your path, Donny (Alan Turkington), Davey (Taylor McClaine) and wayward Republicans Christy (Cameron McKendrick), Brendan (Michael Tient), and Joey (Jason Kelly) are about to discover what ensues when you cross a black cat belonging to Donny’s son, Padraic (Julian Moore-Cook) – a man so mad that much to his chagrin, most mainstream terrorist organisations won’t have him as a member. Throw in a wannabee rebel in Davey’s sister, Mairead (Katherine Devlin), and it’s only a matter of time before we discover who really calls the shots on Inishmore…
Director Chris Sonnex delightfully brings to life McDonagh’s dark humour, drawing out the absurdity and futility of violence with a comic-book style portrayal that borders on the ridiculous, albeit perhaps played a little too much for laughs and which for me detracted at times from the irrational earnestness in how the characters truly see their situation.
Ellie Light’s set successfully captures the mood of a country cottage in the West of Ireland, where much of the action unfolds, but is well able to serve other locations in conjunction with Laura Howard’s subtle lighting design, which in turn aligns with Jenny O’Malley’s considered composition and sound design to move us seamlessly between scenes, with ultimately the combination of the three providing the perfect accompaniment to McDonagh’s sharp language.
The mostly youthful cast includes graduates from Liverpool John Moores University and The Lir Academy in Dublin, with two making their professional stage debuts, and all perform strongly demonstrating the necessary chemistry at key moments of the play. Accents stray on occasion and the humour embedded in the writing saw straight faces break into grins a couple of times, but these were minor niggles in a broadly enjoyable production that hints at bright futures for these upcoming stars.
It is also pleasing to see opportunities backstage too with two trainee roles being supported by Citz Futures, a scheme run by Sonnex and his company, Cardboard Futures.
As Liverpool Everyman celebrates its 60th anniversary, it’s a pleasant relief to see it championing bold, socially relevant theatre again, a path it will hopefully continue with. As this play itself clearly highlights, there is a need more than ever for voices and messages such as these to be heard, and after its own wayward years, I strongly believe that in doing so, Liverpool Everyman will not only rediscover and restore its relevance but will also assure its future.
The Lieutenant of Inishmore performs at Liverpool Everyman through to Saturday 12th October. Further details and booking at https://www.everymanplayhouse.com/whats-on/the-lieutenant-of-inishmore
Reviewer: Mark Davoren
Reviewed: 26th September 2024
North West End UK Rating: