They Never Froze Walt Disney
Players Theatre
8 – 13 Sep, 6.15pm

‘I don’t want to be a burden’ is a repeated phrase spoken by Marie, a recently widowed old eccentric played by Jody O’Neil who also penned this powerful dark comedy that takes loneliness as its subject. Remarkably, O’Neil manages to squeeze comedy from this condition without taking from its horror.

The play presents the strained unrequited love of two oddballs, Paudie (Gavin Logue) and Marie (O’Neil), juxtaposing their promising young encounters in the 1960s with their anxious, forlorn reunion in the present. A palpable sense of loss and regret haunts the stage but is kept at bay by the wonderful comic turns of the character’s dialogue.

Jack Healy’s direction is wisely unfussy, almost static, conscious not to distract from the actors’ masterfully timed deadpan delivery. The minimalist set (also designed by Healy) is functional but amateurish in its construction. This isn’t helped by the harsh brightness of Sarah Jane Shiels lighting design, robbing the small Players Theatre space of an intimacy that would have better complimented the script.

However, such poor production values are easily forgiven, when strong writing and assured acting build this evocative piece to a chilling climax.

- Ian R. Walsh
Irish Theatre Magazine Fringe Reviews