Cyprus Avenue, by David Ireland
Second line of Scene Three: ERIC: She looked like Gerry Adams.
Thanks very much to webcowgirl for this script of a play currently on in the Royal Court Theatre in London, a co-production with the Abbey Theatre, starring Stephen Rea as Eric, a Loyalist whose obsession with the idea that his daughter's baby is actually Gerry Adams drives the story through the blackest of black humour to a horrific conclusion. There are has some gloriously funny moments of banter as well as agonising interrogation of identity.
I never find it easy to judge how a script would come across on stage, and I was a bit concerned that the play might veer towards point-and-laugh-at-the-Prods. But from reviews, it sounds like the production has avoided that trap, and successfully made the wider point that sectarian hatred is something that we destructively do to ourselves. All identities are to an extent socially constructed, and we might as well accept that and move on. It's difficult to do that reflexively to both sides in Northern Ireland, but perhaps in a London show it's better to look at the Loyalists if you can only look at one. Anyway, I hope I'll have the chance to see this some day. Thanks again to webcowgirl for giving it to me.
Thanks very much to webcowgirl for this script of a play currently on in the Royal Court Theatre in London, a co-production with the Abbey Theatre, starring Stephen Rea as Eric, a Loyalist whose obsession with the idea that his daughter's baby is actually Gerry Adams drives the story through the blackest of black humour to a horrific conclusion. There are has some gloriously funny moments of banter as well as agonising interrogation of identity.
I never find it easy to judge how a script would come across on stage, and I was a bit concerned that the play might veer towards point-and-laugh-at-the-Prods. But from reviews, it sounds like the production has avoided that trap, and successfully made the wider point that sectarian hatred is something that we destructively do to ourselves. All identities are to an extent socially constructed, and we might as well accept that and move on. It's difficult to do that reflexively to both sides in Northern Ireland, but perhaps in a London show it's better to look at the Loyalists if you can only look at one. Anyway, I hope I'll have the chance to see this some day. Thanks again to webcowgirl for giving it to me.