The desire to be different can produce innovative work, but can also lead to a lack of perspective. Something of the sort seems to have happened to the joint authors of Eddie and Electra, Mary O'Driscoll, who acts all nine characters, and director Deirdre Molloy.
This is a multi-media or installation performance production, which means that live action is combined with animated film sequences projected on the back and side walls of the gallery/theatre. Our actress keeps popping up, live or projected, in variations of costume and appearance. She holds her place on stage with presence and versatility.
The first and principal character is Eddie Byrne, a tough, profane woman detective who has just broken up with her boyfriend. She is assigned to a murder case, which soon comes to feature people and crimes from classic Greek drama. The House of Atreus turns up in today's Lucan. Electra and Orestes relive their ancient killings, eventually solved by Eddie, who then finds a strange parallel with her own life and family.
The story, as assembled here, makes little sense, even to those who know their Greeks. It is easy to lose the thread, and easier still to lose interest. The technology is certainly clever, if less than ground-breaking, but what has been accomplished? To adapt a critique from Joyce Cary's novel The Horse's Mouth, it is rather like farting "Annie Laurie" through a keyhole; very clever, but is it really worth it?
Continues until August 21st. To book, phone: 01-8603002.