Tag Archives: Elinor Lawless

Meat

Meat

★★★★

Theatre503

Meat

Meat

Theatre503

Reviewed – 25th February 2020

★★★★

 

“Without being too polemical Greer gives clarity to a very difficult discussion with plenty of humour and humanity”

 

Throughout discussions popularised by the #MeToo social media campaign, there seems to have been a disconnect within the idea that since pretty much all women have experienced sexual assault in one form or another, it stands to reason that a whole bunch of men, and not just a handful of evil predators, have been doing it.

Perhaps the difficulty in swallowing this pill is due to the shades of horror that fall within the sexual assault bracket: no, not every man is Harvey Weinstein, but that doesn’t mean that a crime hasn’t been committed and that a woman doesn’t have the right to speak up.

Gillian Greer’s Meat seeks to navigate this very tricky arena. Max (India Mullen) has arranged to meet up with her college boyfriend Ronan (Sean Fox) to let him know she’s written about the night he assaulted her and that it’s going to be published. But Ronan claims he remembers it very differently, or is it that he doesn’t remember it at all? He’s a bit hazy on the subject.

This isn’t about whether Ronan is a villain. Rather it’s about recognising that he is, as Max puts it, “a good guy who did a shit thing.”

A story like this requires a lot of personality and Greer delivers. Mullen and Fox have a well-worn patter that feels natural and affectionate even when they’re fighting. Much of the script is taken up with friendly banter, giving the audience plenty of space to place Ronan’s transgression within a wider picture.

Jo (Elinor Lawless), manager of Ronan’s restaurant and interested party, is an excellent addition to the script because whilst she doesn’t play a pivotal role, nonetheless her character is absolutely necessary, as witness and judge to the night’s events. We’re never led to the brink of disbelieving Max, but our loyalties waver throughout, and Lawless serves as an excellent barometer in this regard. Her comic delivery is also masterful, near-on stealing the show. Set in Ronan’s fancy new meat restaurant (designed by Rachel Stone), animal carcases provide a disturbing backdrop and a constant reminder that we are in Ronan’s domain, making Max’s position all the more uncomfortable as she tries to stand her ground.

Instead of clearing the table between courses, food is thrown on the floor and smeared on the walls, which makes sense when Ronan comes to flip the table in a rage, but not a minute sooner. It’s not terribly distracting, but there just doesn’t seem to be any reason, beside it being difficult to artfully splatter food all over the stage in one table flip without covering the front row in foie gras.

The narrative drags a little in the middle, leaving me to wonder if there’s any more to say on the matter once the premise is set out, but the story does pick up and develop, and whilst there are no real surprises, the plot is- forgive the pun- surprisingly meaty.

As directed by Lucy Jane Atkinson, Meat is very much a story for the current climate. Without being too polemical Greer gives clarity to a very difficult discussion with plenty of humour and humanity.

 

Reviewed by Miriam Sallon

Photography by Alex Brenner

 

Meat

Theatre503 until 14th March

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:
Cuzco | ★★★ | January 2019
Wolfie | ★★★★★ | March 2019
The Amber Trap | ★★★ | April 2019
J’Ouvert | ★★★★ | June 2019
A Partnership | ★★★ | October 2019
Out Of Sorts | ★★★★ | October 2019
Spiderfly | ★★★★★ | November 2019
A Fairytale Revolution | ★★★★ | December 2019
Fragments Of A Complicated Mind | ★★★★ | January 2020

 

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To Have to Shoot Irishmen – 4 Stars

Irishmen

To Have to Shoot Irishmen

Omnibus Theatre

Reviewed – 4th October 2018

★★★★

“The actors take Lizzie Nunnery’s colourful, vivid script and bring such heart to a very affecting piece”

 

1916 is a violent and fraught time in Irish and British history. A time of conflict, at home and overseas. To Have To Shoot Irishmen is a story focusing on the war at home. It follows four people of the time, all different allegiances, all holding different stances. The story contains a brilliantly woven dual narrative following the continuation of the present whilst also retelling the story of how we got there. We follow the stories of Frank (Gerard Kearns), Hanna (Elinor Lawless), William (Robbie O’Neill) and Vane (Russell Richardson) as we dissect the idea of brutality in volatile times.

The use of folk songs throughout really enhances this production. The level of musicianship on stage by all cast members is a joy to see, while the vocals are also clear and strong. The use of music (Vidar Norheim and Lizzie Nunnery) is a beautiful storytelling device that breaks up the scenes well and adds a new dynamic and authenticity to the show. The clever set (Rachael Rooney) and atmospheric lighting (Richard Owen) add realism and enhance the raw emotion of the piece.

The performances on stage are all thought out, versatile and grounded. The actors take Lizzie Nunnery’s colourful, vivid script and bring such heart to a very affecting piece. The stand out performance comes from Kearns as Frank. He brings a dynamic, layered, fully realised character to the stage. One that we laugh with, listen to and shed a tear for. His delivery is impeccable.

What really strikes a chord with me and my fellow audience members is the humanisation of these events. Despite this being a piece of history that is over one hundred years old, the themes and people are still relatable. The idea of responsibility to humanity and/or country. The question of what is ‘the truth’ and what is truthful.

Part of a mini-season of Irish work, To Have To Shoot Irishmen is a tight, heart wrenching and very real story. It is one that will open the eyes of many and fill those eyes with tears. There is sadness within the dialogue but also humour and light. For “We are the dream, we are our own dark reflection”.

 

Reviewed by Shaun Dicks

Photography by Mike Massaro

 

Omnibus Theatre

To Have to Shoot Irishmen

Omnibus Theatre until 20th October

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:
Badback Mountain | | January 2018
Drag Me to Love | ★★★ | February 2018
The Soul of Wittgenstein | ★★★ | February 2018
Mortgage | ★★★★ | March 2018
My Dad the Magician | ★★★★ | March 2018
The North! The North! | ★★★ | March 2018
Gauhar Jaan – The Datia Incident | ★★★★ | April 2018
The Yellow Wallpaper | ★★★★ | June 2018
Blood Wedding | ★★★ | September 2018

 

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