The Arts Review​

Patrick Ryan and Clelia Murphy in Two. Image uncredited ***** Despite vicious rumours to the contrary, no critic worth their salt relishes writing a bad review. Most critics hope every production they attend will succeed on every front. Yet I have to confess to being somewhat relieved I have written negative reviews (moi!). Which serve as an incontrovertible reminder that I do possess objectivity and am not afraid to use it. An objectivity that could be questioned given a run

Aaron Monaghan and Marty Rae in The Shaughraun. Image, Ros Kavanagh ***** There’s stories we tell ourselves and there’s the stories we tell ourselves about the stories we tell ourselves. Take Dion Boucicault’s penultimate play The Shaughraun. Boucicault’s comic melodrama of a wrongly convicted Fenian who escapes an Australian prison and returns to his native Sligo (Slee-go for those afflicted with RP). With the help of roguish, whiskey swilling poacher, Conn The Shaughraun, a

Catriona Faint and Lara McDonnell in For Dolores. Image, Pat Redmond ***** Those astronomically or astrologically inclined will tell you there was a recent rare alignment of planets. Those theatrically inclined might tell you For Dolores, by writer Eva O’Connor constitutes the artistic equivalent. A rare alignment of director, writer, performers and design whipping up a cosmic storm. Allowing For Dolores, under the auspices of director Jim Culleton, unleash defibrillator char