Michael Scott's production company, The Machine, in association with Phyllis Ryan's Gemini Productions offers this adaptation to mark the 25th anniversary of the publication of John B. Keane's book which, adapted for the stage by Barry Cassin and Ray McAnally within days of its publication, ran for 13 weeks to sell-out houses in the now defunct Eblana Theatre.
In truth, time has not been kind to it. Irish society has changed drastically in a quarter of a century, but that will not deter the author's loyal audience for one of the most popular of his works (albeit in adaptation) ever staged.
This is the one about Dickie Mick Dickie O'Connor, the small farmer who branched out into the match-making business with substantial success and few failures, despite being denounced from the altar by the parish priest on instruction by the bishop to whom one of the failed cases had complained before being gratified with marital success. Fionuala Crust, Miss, as she describes herself (for she was the complainant) is a vituperative running gag for much of the show until she weds the jockey Dickie Mick Dickie found for her. The other running gag is the double-barrelled bisexual aristocratic huntsman into whose case the match-maker could not bring himself to put his best endeavours.
Michael Scott's production leaves the piece somewhat adrift from its Kerry origins insofar as neither Des Keogh nor Anna Manahan (the two performers in this instance) embraces that regional accent which could have given the piece some of its original rhythms and intonations and placed it in some relevant social context.
As it stands, its jokes are largely based on vividly unusual references to human psychology, physiology and anatomy rather than on the observational skills of its original author. But most of last night's audience gave it a warm and enthusiastic reception and, despite its being out of time and social context, there seems no reason to believe it will not draw full houses once again. And a well-deserved tribute was paid to Phyllis Ryan at the end of the opening performance to celebrate 40 years' fruitful existence of her Gemini Productions.
Its first professional performances of many of John B. Keane's plays are recalled with much affectionate nostalgia by many theatre-goers of two generations.
- David Nowlan
Plays for five weeks at HQ, (to book phone 01-8899499), then tours to Galway, Waterford, Tralee, Sligo, Letterkenny, Belfast and Cork until April 7th