In Search of Owen Roe

The infinite talent of Vanessa O’Neill is the cohesive force behind this production. This is an extremely personal piece of theatre that allows the performer to share the stories and colourful ancestral figures that both inhabit and haunt O’Neill. Her performance often invokes the spectral presence of her predecessors and her natural affinity with these fascinating personas is uncovered via diligent archival research and anecdotal information. The staging is evocative and atmospheric, conveying all the cultural richness of the project.

O’Neill’s ancestry is full of extremely large figures who have contributed to building the history and rebellious spirit of the Irish. The stories also highlight how the wounds inflicted by an oppressive English regime reverberate for generations. The tales document a variety of shenanigans starting in their homeland and stretching across the seas as far as Australia. These characters are larger than life and cast a very long shadow over the accounts that O’Neill weaves together.

Ascertaining who commands this story or who it truly belongs to can be challenging with the use of an episodic structure and the vast array of characters that O’Neill beautifully and expertly delivers. The impish charm of the Irish and O’Neill’s profound love and admiration for her heritage are at the forefront of this piece but Owen Roe seems to struggle to retain a central position in the narrative.

Patricia Di Risio