Review: THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS, Lyric Hammersmith

A young girl in a football tee steps on stage and begins to sing a melodic tune. Her voice is angelic, lulling you into a fall sense of comfort - until she begins to choke on herself, coughing up copious amounts of blood.

It's a brief, but important insight into things that are yet to come. Ireland is fighting for independence, and the nations pride is up for debate. Causing a riot when it opened in 1926, Sean O'Casey's play feels unrelentingly relevant to our contemporary narrative.

Poverty, patriarchy, class and accessibility are all topics that fuel many of our current discussions. It therefore makes complete sense that Sean Holmes has decided to set the production in the modern day. Removing its period drama feel allows it to be more accessible for the local audience.

Holmes's concept is aided by Jon Bausor's design. A huge metal scaffold acts as a symbol of the crammed living conditions of these working-class Dublin folk. They're packed on top of one another, struggling through a situation of suffocation, whilst at the same time fighting for rebellion.

The acting is of an excellent quality, and each performer manages to capture the individuality of the Irish spirit. Minute character traits are exaggerated to give a caricature perspective of the everyday human. There's a lot of soul that comes from everyone and the overall commitment is impressive.

However, it too often becomes a clever game of wordplay. There's a definite lyricism within O'Casey's text, but it's because of this that we at times struggle to engage. Despite many moments being addressed to the audience, the emotional truth is occasionally lost.

And for all its caricatured comedy, the play doesn't really go anywhere and you sit waiting for more development. The production requires a clearer vision in what it's wishing to achieve. It definitely makes some resonant points, but it's hard to fully access them.

The charge isn't there. But this could simply be down to the fact that this play would have had a much deeper impact when it premiered at The Abbey Theatre in 2016, on the anniversary of the Easter Rising, than it could ever do at the Lyric Hammersmith today.

The Plough and the Stars at the Lyric Hammersmith until 7 April

Photo credit: Tristram Kenton

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