The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Adam Gonet (Padraic) and Megan Johnstone (Mairead). Photo by Vishal Sharma

(by Rick Bowen) Just when I thought risk taking was a thing of the past in commercially driven live theatre, Altrincham Garrick takes the brave decision to stage The Lieutenant of Inishmore. From a cat loving terrorist to a trigger happy teenage girl, all of human life is here in Martin McDonagh's classy black comedy. Adam Gonet expertly plays Padraic, a role he's sharing with Anthony Morris. He may be ruthless when it comes to dealing with his enemies but he's a big softie when it comes to his beloved pet cat. Adam is highly convincing when it comes to conveying both sides of this crazy character and for me, this is his best Garrick performance to date. Imagine his anger when Padraic discovers his moggy has come to harm and poor Davey (Charlie Gallagher) who looks like he's just stepped out of an Irish version of Wayne's World, ends up taking the blame. While the script contains strong language it is also extremely clever and laugh out loud funny in places and McDonagh frequently demonstrates a wonderful turn of phrase, even if the second act is far better than the first. Megan Johnstone is also very good value as the gun toting Miread, inextricably drawn to small town bad boy Padraic. She also has a lovely singing voice. Director Paul Kerryson obviously has a deep seated affection for this play and it shows in this highly watchable production. The Lieutenant of Inishmore might not be everyone's pint of Guinness, but this Irish masterpiece certainly makes for a very different night of theatre, rounded off with a brilliant twist that you definitely won't see coming. Enjoy. Star rating - ****

NODA Review

Author: Kevin Proctor    Should you have stopped by The Altrincham Garrick for this production, you may have appreciated a warning that a stronger stomach than usual may be required; “The Lieutenant of Inishmore” is Martin McDonagh’s black (and blood-spattered) comedy directed by the recently appointed Chief Exec of the AG, Paul Kerryson.  Paul certainly makes a stamp and shakes up the usual drama followers of the Garrick with his ‘official’ debut as director with the theatre, this show will have most definitely left an impression like a dollop of marmite; you’ll either love this raw and gory contemporary drama/comedy or you may be one who’s hoping for the return of the traditional slapstick, sexist farce. This title is not one which is particularly popular for am dram societies than it is with universities and fringe theatre groups (which I think is what makes it all the more appealing for the AG) - it’s a modern creation which challenges and pushes boundaries, such a decision to venture into new ground is surely going to displease some folk but my view is it’s never a bad thing to experiment and wake things up a bit, and ultimately, to ensure you present as wider variety of styles and genres as possible. As with the previous AG production (Oliver!), the casting committee have obviously struggled to come to a decision with who to choose for a role (though obviously not as extreme as previously) as the part of Padraic is shared by two actors and the one who is not ‘on’ as Padraic will take smaller roles in that particular performance, such a ruling seems slightly ludicrous for a production running for just one week and can only, surely, present more of a nuisance to the process than contributing something which works as an advantage to the production, but perhaps I’m missing something!? On the performance I attended, Anthony Morris took the role of Padraic who delivered a tame psycho, I felt there was room to explore the maniac qualities of this individual to present the intimidating terrorist he is.    The abattoir inspired set was an original approach to the shows design, steering away from the obvious description of the location given by the cast. Some of the Irish accents dropped somewhat which made the quick paced dialogue hard to catch but this is an incredibly tricky accent to replicate, an accent which is in fact renowned for being one of the most difficult to master which I do appreciate. Most impressive was Charlie Gallagher as Davey; the younger, dim brother who creates the chaos! A truly hilarious and alluring performance delivering the most natural and riveting of the bunch, a new face to the Garrick who is undoubtedly one to watch! Come the interval, I wasn’t sure if this play was for me (on a personal level) but it wasn’t until act two when the piece really shows its true colours, yes – it gets more gruesome but equally more comical. The balance of the script veers from violence to the ridiculous in an instant which, arguably, softens its vicious premise, however, we howl with laughter as members of the cast are brutally tortured then murdered and kittys are shot and slaughtered before our very eyes. One trait which is sure to make any creative team nervous is when a play requires a living cat to appear on stage, I could not help but find this rather impressive but also, given what we’d already witnessed, felt anxious for the cat’s fate!      High drama and explorations of the human condition are not to be found here, credit to the AG team for being bold and bringing a play as dark and guiltily entertaining as this to the local stage, showing they’re not afraid of putting on something to cater for every taste.

Sardines Review - 5 STARS

by Michael Cove

Set in 1993, against a backdrop of the Irish troubles, Martin McDonagh’s masterful Olivier Award winning black comedy is brought boldly to life in the Altrincham Garrick Playhouse’s impressive new staging. Helmed by former Leicester Curve Artistic Director Paul Kerryson, the direction may on the odd occasion lack a necessary spark of imagination, with Barry Fletcher’s set design feeling a little too clinical to effectively represent the warm rural cottage in which the majority of the action takes place, however it is the performances from the 7-strong non-Irish cast which really elevate this production. I have been reviewing both professional and amateur theatre for over 35 years now, and not often do you see a performance as complete and dynamic in such a young actor as Adam Gonet’s Padraic*. His performance as the eponymous madman is nothing short of outstanding. His journey through the various character traits – from amiable to explosive - is conveyed with expert skill, charisma and intelligence rarely seen these days. I cannot imagine he will be hanging around too long on the amateur stage. As the air-rifle toting tomboy, Mairead (the lading lady, if you can call Mairead that!), Megan Johnstone is equally as impressive, again demonstrating a commanding presence, expert characterisation and a sparkling, passionate chemistry with Gonet’s Padraic. As the audience surrogate’s Davey and Donny, the real-life father and son pairing of Charlie and Michael Gallagher are perfectly suited to their respective roles, two relatable everyman characters caught up in the most surreal and nightmarish of situations. Charlie Tomlinson’s one-eyed Christy cuts an unnerving presence as the head of IRA splinter group – the INLA – with fine support from Anthony Morris’ sarcastic Brendan and Leif Black’s naïve Joey. Tomlinson really comes in to his own during the big scene 8 set piece and the hilarious country lane sequence. The latter seeing the three INLA boys discussing a whole host of surreal subjects and literary quotes over a couple of tin of Heinz beans.Mike North’s pulsing sound design and atmospheric lighting perfectly enhance the various undertones of the piece.
The auditorium at last night’s (Tuesday night) performance was just over half full, which is criminal in a production as accomplished as this proves. I urge anyone with an interest in theatre to book tickets immediately