Compelling presentation of The Lieutenant of Inishmore (yes, it IS funny)

"It's a comedy, and you can laugh," Nessa Dunlea told the audience for last night's Kilcullen Drama Group presentation of The Lieutenant of Inishmore. "But it's a dark comedy. Very dark."

She wasn't kidding, writes Brian Byrne. The audience on the traditional opening night for seniors did laugh. But sometimes it was a very nervous kind. There were a few gasps too, especially in some of the more gory scenes of this story about a psychopathic INLA killer seeking revenge for the killing of his beloved cat. Actually there are several psychopaths in this Martin McDonagh play, each so well acted that if people cross the street in coming days to avoid meeting Alan Clarke, Fergus Ryan, Gerry O'Donoghue, Davy Byrne and even Sinead McKenna, you'll know they've seen the play. Those who encounter Enda O'Neill may well enquire about how his foot is recovering from his first time actor experience on Kilcullen's stage. As for Maurice O'Mahoney and Adam Tracey, bottles of poteen might be offered to help them deal with their PTSD. And the cats? Nessa was at pains to point out that none were harmed in the producing of the play, but several played key, if unfortunate, parts. Forget the nine lives myth ...

Lieutenant is a hilarious take on what was a very black time in the fairly recent history of Ireland, the kind of thing that McDonagh does so well. I suspect many of last night's audience went home having been entertained but also reminded of how we're only a veneer from barbarity.

Another excellent Kilcullen Drama Group presentation, directed with her trademark attention to detail by Eilis Phillips. And some brilliantly synchronised scene changing by the backstage crew should be shouted out.

Go see it, you won't be disappointed. Some tickets still available for Thursday and Saturday nights, I'm told, and for the extra three nights next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. 

(We'll upload more pictures later.)

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy