An Irish Joke
Splash Theatre
Director: Chris John
Talbot Hotel Saloon Bar
Until Mon 17 March


'An Irish Joke' is wonderfully warm hearted production filled with joyous wit delivered by spirited actors whose generous, genial characterisations and sonorous voices in song embraces and uplifts you.

Director Chris John has selected and adapted for the stage pieces from a number of Irish novelist/playwright Flann O'Brien's (real name Brian O'Nolan) works. 'An Irish Joke' features pieces from 'At Swim Two Birds', 'The Third Policeman', 'The Dalkey Archive',' A Poor Month' and his Cruiskeen Lawn columns.

As the old Irish joke goes - two Irish men walk into a pub - so does this play begin.

And as to be expected when two Irishmen walk into a pub after closing time and the landlord's obliging, the Guardia is bound to show up, as he does.

Nathan Porteus as landlord Mr Coulahan, John Kelly as Patrick Lamont, Nick Martin as Michael Furriskey and Alan Curry as Sergeant Craddock light up the space with the true spirit of O'Brien's mischievous, cheeky and proudly Irish writing.

Johns' direction is simple and practical in its effectiveness in moving the piece between song, the three Irishmen in the pub and stage right, Sergeant Craddock, whose pieces are from 'The Third Policeman'. Alan Curry makes a very good punt at stealing the show from his cast mates with his crowd pleasingly brilliant rendition of the 'molecular theory', which involves the transfer of molecules between objects placing them in danger of becoming that object - a bicycle.

In the pub Kelly, Porteus and Martin drink and talk - and that talk is funny, a wee melancholy and thought provoking all from the pen of O'Brien. There's Poetry, not getting a laugh out of an Abbey Theatre show, Irish pride and so much more, not to mention Nick Martin's beautiful playing of the Irish bagpipe and singing.

They all sing. They all hold your attention close. Their rendition of 'The Parting Glass', begun by Alan Curry is the most powerful, fitting and proper curtain call to a show I've witnessed in my life.

David O'Brien