Probably never performed in its author's lifetime, this remains one of Shakespeare's least known and least staged works. The Theatreworks Company, who deserve thanks for at least allowing us to see the rarity, claim its staging may be the first in Ireland. Given the evidence it has presented, it could well be the last also, for this is a truly poor play, lacking any consistent theme or focus.

Classified by the academics as one of its author's dark comedies, it is remarkably free of comic situations. Claimed by a few to be a romantic tragedy, it is scarcely even sad. The eponymous love affair itself is largely peripheral to the main confused action of war between the Greeks and the Trojans and mostly the text seems, in its erratic and unfocused way, to be about the degradation wrought by war.

This could be why, rather gratuitously, Michael Caven's vigorous production starts with an array of hurleys (swords), riot shields, dustbin lids and balaclavas, as if to suggest the time might be now and the place might be Northern Ireland. But this imposed theme is not sustained through the main action.

The acting from a large cast is generally confident and competent and it is always energetic and committed. But, for the most part, the script allows no one to develop a real character or to rise above the rest with the possible exception of the drunkenly venomous Thersites of Dave Collins, perhaps the only original or rounded character the playwright provided in this turgidly verbose curiosity piece.

Runs until Saturday, September 27th.