Sir, – I found Peter Crawley's review of Julie Feeney's current show at the Project Arts Centre curmudgeonly and unfair (April 3rd). Surely the reviewer should have gleaned from the title of the show, The Girl Who Believed in Magic, that an evening of mystery and make-believe was in store? Why then his objection to the translucent scrim which, for me at least, was an unusual play on the looking-glass, in keeping with the implied Alice in Wonderland theme? Was Crawley expecting a realistic show? He refers to the "bewildering" setpieces. Surely one of Feeney's greatest strengths is her ingenious capacity to lure her audiences vocally and visually into strange and wondrous worlds, far from tedium and convention? Crawley ambivalently acknowledges her as "a performer who is studied in eccentricity". Bring it on, I say.
Could Crawley not have suspended disbelief for the 80 minutes during which Feeney delivered exquisite songs one after the other often in physically demanding circumstances, with no negative effect on tone?
Crawley refers condescendingly to "iridescent make-up" (has he ever been at a "real" magic show?) and "costumes as ridiculous as they were awkward". Such remarks betray a lack of understanding of the strong visual flair that characterises all Feeney shows but which are brought to a new level in The Girl Who Believed in Magic.
I found the reference to “unforgivably long costume changes” particularly harsh. Apart from the fact that this was a one-person show, with no interval, I thought that the swiftness was remarkable.
Crawley reluctantly acknowledges the value of the vocals, having spent four lengthy paragraphs on what he terms “inattentive direction” and other perceived flaws.
I acknowledge that critics have a job to do in offering their personal experience of given performers but I also think that reviewers should operate in a spirit of open-mindedness, especially where magic is concerned. – Yours, etc,
LOUISE TOBIN,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
Sir, – I disagree with Peter Crawley’s review. Julie Feeney is a very singular unique talent and such talent and the forms in which she expresses it should be encouraged in the soul-less digital age.
Practitioners who operate at the vanguard plough a lonely furrow indeed. Plough on, Julie! We need to see and hear more of her unique talent. – Yours, etc,
ANTHONY REALE,
Broadstone,
Dublin 7.