Four stories from four young people from Dublin. They are all very different, their views on life are not compatible, but they’re all from the same section of society. This is the D4 set, with their airs and graces, their confidence and swagger, or so you would expect. They all have a lot going for them, young and good looking, but some of them can’t see that for themselves, and have yet to conquer their fears. Some wear the brashness of youth, and others the fear of making a mistake, saying the wrong thing. We hear the tale of four nights out that go in different directions, all are drink and pill fuelled, all hoping to find something or someone out there to fill their emptiness.

This is a brash and fun piece of theatre, that turns an introspective and irreverent eye on the world of modern youth culture. It is a fast paced play that blurts out many ideas about a group of people that only seem interested in fun. While there are four actors on stage at all times, they do not interact, other than for some movement and musical moments. It is four monologues that are interspersed, cutting from one character to the next, as the spotlight moves abruptly on.

The four actors are on stage when you enter the theatre. They sit chatting to each other on chairs and ignoring the audience as they find their seats. The only furniture on the stage are the chairs and a variety of light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. The piece begins with a slow musical interlude as all four voices combine, before one member of the cast stands and the spotlight focuses on them, and the stories begin!

The text is largely written in verse, and the actors deliver the many humorous lines at an unrelenting pace. The changes between the various characters are made with split second timing and the actors diction of the complicated verse is daunting. To be this tight on stage demands a huge amount of work, and it is clear how much rehearsal went into creating this piece. The script is impressive in itself, but the work as a whole is more than the sum of its parts. At just about an hour long, it does not over stay its welcome and delivers its fast paced story of modern Dublin life with some style.

Boys and Girls runs at the Project Arts Centre until May 17th.

Writer/Director: Dylan Coburn Gray

Designer: Ilo Tarrant

Producer: Aisling Murray

Cast:

Ronan Carey
Seán Doyle
Maeve O’Mahony
Claire O’Reilly