Against the Free State – Smock Alley – Tiger Dublin Fringe Review by Frank L.

Written by Oisín McKenna

Tickets €11 – Dates Sep 21 – 24 @ 21:15 / Sep 24 @ 15:00
Tickets €14 / €12 conc. – Duration 65 mins – Venue: Smock Alley Theatre Boys’ School

The time is after 22nd May 2015 when 1,201, 607 Irish citizens voted in favour of marriage equality being enshrined in the constitution. The very recent past. The vehicle used is a television chat show hosted by none other than Miriam O’Callaghan (Stephen Quinn), bedecked in a candy pink frock, blonde curly hair and sporting a moustache! Her guests are Leonard Buckley, a young Fine Gaeler, duly attired in a predictably dull suit and Sian ni Mhuiri a self-appointed spokesperson of the marginalised, aggressively attired in a Kelly- green trouser suit cut off just below the knee, the jacket of which is festooned with badges proclaiming her solidarity with a myriad of correct causes. Her point is that in order to win the referendum a safe, nice, cosy view of homosexuality was presented to the electorate which was essentially white, monogamous and middle class. It excluded a long list of others. She is stridently unhappy with this portrayal. The Fine Gaeler ardently disagrees.

Throughout the show the screens display footage of Ireland in the past, particularly memorable is the austere figure of De Valera who personifies a very different world to marriage equality. There are frequent breaks for ads and Miriam has to use all her professional skills to keep the two interviewees from exchanging physical blows. Meanwhile Middle Ireland is personified (on the screens) as a teacher (Eavan Gaffney) from Mullingar who essentially portrays herself as being very “nice” while being a little odd.

Although not expressed explicitly the underlying slant of the play lies with the cut off green, badge festooned, trouser suit. The young Fine Gaeler has the shitty end of the stick. There is an almost pantomime atmosphere with Miriam presiding so as to ensure the peace is just about kept.

The audience loved and roared their approval at the fun of it all. If the Zeitgeist of this play is on the button, Kelly green, cut off trouser suits are in the ascendant.