Kings Theatre,
Edinburgh
4 stars
It's perhaps telling
that Scotland's capital is hosting the only mainland UK dates for
Adrian Dunbar's vivid touring revival of Brian Friel's 1980
masterpiece, staged as part of Derry/Londonderry's UK City of Culture
programme. Here, after all, is a play that speaks eloquently and
passionately about the very human consequences of cultural
colonialism by a ruling elite. In this week of grand gestures, it
couldn't be more pertinent.
Friel sets out his
store in nineteenth century Donegal, where the rural community are
educated at a hedge school, a form of unlegislated shared learning
for all. Into this steps the British Army, who have been tasked with
translating the local place names from Irish Gaelic to the King's
English. What is dressed up as aspirational opportunity soon turns to
siege mentality, as the locals are first patronised, then, following
the disappearance of a lovesick young lieutenant, brutalised by
occupying forces. Yet this is no polemic. At the play's heart is a
poignant love triangle between idealistic teacher Manus, the
lieutenant and Maire, who has her sights set on America.
Set on designer Stuart
Marshall's bright, blue-skied set, Dunbar's largely young cast grab
one of the most important plays to come out of Northern Ireland in
the twentieth century and breathe their collective heart and soul
into it. The scene between Jade Yourell's Maire and Paul Woodson's
Lieutenant Yolland as they try to find a common language beyond their
obvious attraction is by turns hilarious and beautifully sad.
So-called progress may appear to win out, but in the end it's the
word that survives in an essential work that speaks volumes about a
small nation starting to find its voice.
The Herald, April 17th 2013
ends
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