The Good Thief
Thu, 26 July 2007, 08:09 amGordon the Optom1 post in thread
The Good Thief
Thu, 26 July 2007, 08:09 am‘The Good Thief’ is yet another award winning play by Conor McPherson – the same Irish playwright who wrote ‘St Nicholas’ seen last month at His Maj. This play is directed by Michael McCall and is showing at the Blue Room Studio, Northbridge at 7pm until the 11th August.
Michael McCall is an adventurous director, never known to turn down a challenge. Here he has taken a talented actor, Allan Girod, and guided him through this harrowing, but often funny, tale.
The story takes place in north-west Ireland near, what was then, the Eire and Northern Ireland border. The nameless central character is sitting in a pub coming to terms with the fact that his wife is playing around, having the kind of sex that he cannot condone. Then he finds himself at the centre of a beating before running away to hide taking with him two ‘hostages’. His life seems to change, the warmth returns. Can this happiness carry on and lead to a new start?
Conor McPherson’s chronicles are brilliantly written. The descriptions of the situations form a lucid picture; combined with his naturally flowing dialogue are guaranteed to grip you. Allan Girod could easily have gone for the easier slight Irish lilt, but instead has grasped an authentic, full rough Irish brogue which he controlled faultlessly for the whole of this 65-minute show. Sounding a little like Ian Paisley, he moved around the stage chatting to, or about, people that the audience became convinced were actually there. The pace must have been crippling for Allan as he went through the emotions of betrayal, love, pain, torture and a little hope.
Designer Susie Morphett has wisely designed a simple, but effective rugged symbolistic set, a normal set would have distracted from the intensity of the story. This set was enhanced by Steve Warren’s unfailing lighting, he captured the mood sensitively.
Before the play, Mia Brine’s dulcet tones sang a delicate folk song and then supplied the ethereal voices during the performance. A very professional show in all fields.
Stunning performance. A show to remember.
‘The Good Thief’ is yet another award winning play by Conor McPherson – the same Irish playwright who wrote ‘St Nicholas’ seen last month at His Maj. This play is directed by Michael McCall and is showing at the Blue Room Studio, Northbridge at 7pm until the 11th August.
Michael McCall is an adventurous director, never known to turn down a challenge. Here he has taken a talented actor, Allan Girod, and guided him through this harrowing, but often funny, tale.
The story takes place in north-west Ireland near, what was then, the Eire and Northern Ireland border. The nameless central character is sitting in a pub coming to terms with the fact that his wife is playing around, having the kind of sex that he cannot condone. Then he finds himself at the centre of a beating before running away to hide taking with him two ‘hostages’. His life seems to change, the warmth returns. Can this happiness carry on and lead to a new start?
Conor McPherson’s chronicles are brilliantly written. The descriptions of the situations form a lucid picture; combined with his naturally flowing dialogue are guaranteed to grip you. Allan Girod could easily have gone for the easier slight Irish lilt, but instead has grasped an authentic, full rough Irish brogue which he controlled faultlessly for the whole of this 65-minute show. Sounding a little like Ian Paisley, he moved around the stage chatting to, or about, people that the audience became convinced were actually there. The pace must have been crippling for Allan as he went through the emotions of betrayal, love, pain, torture and a little hope.
Designer Susie Morphett has wisely designed a simple, but effective rugged symbolistic set, a normal set would have distracted from the intensity of the story. This set was enhanced by Steve Warren’s unfailing lighting, he captured the mood sensitively.
Before the play, Mia Brine’s dulcet tones sang a delicate folk song and then supplied the ethereal voices during the performance. A very professional show in all fields.
Stunning performance. A show to remember.