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| Edinburgh : A&E : Theatre: Reviews |
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Theatre listings > A Skull In Connemara*
- Tour & Scottish Premiere
Maitin Hanlon, Kevin Lennon, Maryjonny's grandson comes in, after insults and a magnificent feck(less)ness he finally delivers the message. It's time of Dowd's annual task - in their remote Irish village graveyard he has to dig up those dead 7 years to make room for next year's crop. Strange enough, and maybe explaining the feeling he's on the edge of life and what passes for society in this corner of Connemara, but also this year the digging up will include his own wife. Come the next scene and with a spin of Robin People's excellent touring revolving set we go from Dowd's grim cottage to the south wall of the church and the graves. Dowd sets to, and later Maitin turns up to..., well getting stuck in is not his style, more contribute his mite. Irish policeman Tom, another of Maryjonny's grandsons, drops in to observe Oona the wife being shifted, he could be quite a detective but only he thinks so. Stephen Clyde does stirling duty as official twerp Tom and there maybe a case for him to triumph with, as Oona's coffin has no skeleton in it. Played with a stirring sense of Irish crack and accents whipped up to fine effect by the cast's cracking pace, this tightly written play has strange surreal remembrances of Synge's Playboy of the Western World. But these characters aren't crude stereotypes of rural yokels, they're acutely observed examples of people living in psychological backwaters. Alasdair McCrone directs his razor sharp cast so that you guffaw and shriek as bone fragments and hilarious keenly observed lines fly past. Oh that death and dysfunctional people were always so funny, but it's the uncertainty about what each one of these Irish rural extraordinaries has really done that makes this troublingly comic play and production excel. P.S. Just in cast you wonder no real skulls or bones are harmed in this marvellous production - I checked. © Thelma Good 22 September 2002. - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Cast: Mick Dowd - John Langford Tom Hanlon - Stephen Clyde Maryjonny Rafferty - Nuala Walsh Maitin Hanlon - Kevin Lennon *There are three plays in The Leenane Trilogy, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, A Skull In Connemara and The Lonesome West. Theatre's production of A Skull In Connemara after a season in Rep on Mull. Tour begins 20 - 21 Sept at 7.45pm Cumbernauld Theatre 01236 732887 24-Sept at 7:30pm Musselburgh Brunton Theatre 0131 665 2240 26-27 Sept at 7.30pm Livingston, Howden Park Theatre 01506 433634 28 Sept at 8pm Glenmorriston Millennium Hall 01320 351228 2 Oct at 8pm Arisaig Astley Hall 10687 450263 4 Oct at 8pm Thurso Mill Theatre 01847 892019 14 Oct at 8pm Strontian, Àrainn Shuaineirt 16 Oct at 7.30pm Campbeltown, Victoria Halls 01586 554469 17 Oct at 7.30pm Garelochhead Gibson Hall 01436 810403 26 Oct at 8pm Ardrishaig Public Hall 1 Nov at 8pm Skerray Village Hall 01641 521212 2 Nov at 7.30pm Kinlochbervie Village Hall 01408 635211 4 Nov at 8pm Ullapool Macphail Theatre 01854 613336 7 Nov at 8pm Ardross Village Hall 01349 880591 8 Nov at 8pm Carrbridge Village Hall 01479 841211 9 Nov at 8pm Inverness - Eden Court Theatre 01463 234234 Tour Ends Mull Little Theatre - Based in Dervaig on the north west side of a beautiful Island in the Inner Hebrides - Iona, St Columba's Isle is off the western tip of Mull. This well established theatre is producing 3 plays this season all of which will go on to tour, see rest of Scotland listings for details. This company is the only rurally based revenue funded theatre in Scotland. One play is being done in Tobermory the Island's town, the other two are in the Little Theatre in Dervaig. It takes 20mins to drive the single track road from Tobermory. To stay in Dervaig I recommend Druimnacroish Hotel, laid back, friendly and good food, a 5 min drive along the Dervaig/ Salen road, you can also book a pre theatre meal there. Great place to unwind with no TV! And the Bellacroy Hotel in the village gives excellent cheap meals in a slightly down at heel bar and the staff are friendly there too. The village also has bookable bunkrooms in the super new Village Hall. Mull is an Island well worth a visit where you can walk in and up amazing dramatic landscapes, see all sorts of fascinating animals, birds and plants and gaze at breathtaking views and beaches. Our Scottish Islands are balms to the soul and tonics to the heart - just remember it may well rain or be a little cold sometimes and outdoor casual clothes and sturdy walking shoes are often useful. © Thelma Good September 2002 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Theatre listings >>
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