Concrete Playground

Farce: a light, humorous play in which the plot depends upon a skilfully exploited situation rather than upon the development of character. By this definition alone, the Druid Ireland theatre company’s production of The Walworth Farce would not have the intricately nuanced, highly developed characters and rich layers of subtext that it does.

More than simply a two-dimensional farce, this play within a play is like watching the World Cup final then being pulled in from the sidelines to run alongside the panting, sweating players. From the outset the performance sets a relentlessly challenging pace, with thick Irish dialogue pelted about with the force and precision of an M15 rifle. Light and frivolous, yes, but stacked with dimensions of light and shade that an impeccably composed script and three highly skilled actors oscillate frantically between.

Written by award-winning playwright Enda Walsh and directed by actor-turned-director Mikel Murfi, The Walworth Farce utilises elements of farce, melodrama and black comedy to explore the strange and sinister world of a father (Michael Glenn Murphy) and his two adult sons (Raymond Scannell and Tadhg Murphy). The play opens with the opening of another play, their play, performed not for us but for each other, with the utmost commitment. Throughout the first act we witness the unfolding of what we later discover is the warped story of their obscure past. What at first seems like nothing more than an absurd kind of lighthearted romp, later becomes darkly disturbing with the arrival of a stranger, checkout-chick Hayley (Mercy Ojelade), who unwittingly becomes entangled in the madness.

Having toured the world from Europe to the US, one would expect no less than a seamlessly performed, polished production, and these seasoned players don’t disappoint. From the set design to the directorial choices, the details are approached with expert finesse and the material handled with veteran skill that begs the question: how the hell are they doing this? So if you like theatre for the same reasons you like roller-coasters and/or pseudoephedrine, you wont be left wanting with this technically brilliant but stark raving mad production of The Walworth Farce.