Baptism of Fire

Ann Henning Jocelyn's new play attempts to put a spin on the rite of passage tale

Ann Henning Jocelyn's new play attempts to put a spin on the rite of passage tale. A Connemara rectory is to play host to the christening of it's first grandchild. Due to local prejudices, Eustace, the doting grandfather vicar, is forced to conduct the ceremony away from the church as his only daughter, Mary Jane, has given birth to the son of Richard, the philandering - and married - English businessman. Into the fray comes Larry, an old friend of Mary Jane, and his wife Diana who are roped into staying for the ceremony quite against their better judgments.

What follows is a slight comedy of manners that stretches itself a little too thinly over the ground it sets out to cover. Some good one-liners notwithstanding, too often it seems that the actors are at pains to wrench some meaningful drama out of the slow and wooden characterisation allowed by a script that frequently thwarts its own good intentions.