The Lonesome West

Last night I saw something that made me very sad. The Lonesome West was one of the best plays I’ve seen all year. So it was sad to see such a small crowd in attendance. That superb cast and crew deserve to be playing to packed houses. They definitely earned the standing ovation they got at the end of this pitch perfect, dark comedy.

The tale centres around two bickering brothers living in bleak conditions in west of Ireland. One is obsessed with his possessions and money. The other, with slowly destroying himself and his family. Both grip tightly to old grievances and hurts. They know exactly how to push each other’s buttons in a way that’s all to relatable to anyone who’s had a fight with a sibling. Ultimately their relationship with the local Catholic priest and a young lady who sells her da’s bootleg booze to them changes their lives. The play is very well-written, with dialogue that can be simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking. Characters are nuanced and complex, yet very recognisable and relatable.

So this is one of those wonderful occasions that I have the pleasure of giving a glowing review to the producer, director, cast and crew. The acting was unquestionable in its believability. Every cast member was strong, focussed and the ensemble lifted one another to great heights. They had such trust in each other. You could tell a lot of thought and care had gone into casting. It’s impossible to single one actor out above the others, because they were all so brilliant.

Christopher Story as Coleman was fierce and captivating. His emotional range was excellent; when he wasn’t speaking you could hear his thoughts through his facial and physical expressions. Cameron Hurry as Velene took such wonderful risks and used his vocal range to great comic effect. He showed lovely attention to detail and paced himself very well. Derek Draper as Father Welsh had a beautiful fragility and sensitivity. His skills of interpretation would have done the playwright proud. Eva McGillivray as Girleen had a lovely energy and superb comic timing. She really captured the complexities of her character; she nailed that teenage pattern of swinging between confidence and awkwardness.

Direction by Keiran Brice was flawless. Georgia Greenhill’s design was like another character in the play. It was amazingly detailed and very well thought out. The rooms looked genuinely ‘lived in’ and the leafless trees at the pier with gobos over the lights heightened the cold eeriness of that scene. Dialect Coach Melissa Agnew had clearly put a lot of work into the cast’s accents, as they were on point. Fight scenes were well choreographed and the special effects with gunshots were nicely executed.

I’d urge everyone to get out and see The Lonesome West but sadly this one finishes its run at Judith Wright Centre on November 18. Instead I’ll urge anyone in the position to throw funding its way to get this show touring the country so more people can experience it in all its perfection.

Kiesten McCauley