The Crow’s Way – Dublin Fringe Festival – Review

PERFORMANCES – 22 & 23 September – 14:00, 18:00, €16/€14
OTHER PERFORMANCE – 21 September – 20:00, €16/€14
Venue – Abbey Theatre – Peacock Stage
Duration – 70mins

We meet Gerda and Cuán on an exciting day. They are about to take part in a long-standing tradition in the village where they live, Ballyfeen. The ceremony takes place once a year. It is said that it keeps the wild creatures that surround the village from attacking. The two young friends are worried about the event and are rehearsing it the day before. When the day arrives, things do not go according to plan…

The play is produced by Moonfish Theatre, who are a Galway-based theatre company that creates work in English and Irish. This production is mainly in English with some elements in Irish, although you could still follow the storyline without any Irish. This production is primarily aimed at younger audiences although there is enough complexity and humour to keep older members of the audience amused.

Along the way, we meet a variety of different groups of wild animals, as the two young friends meet the Crows, Mice and Wolves. It explores themes of fear of the outside world. While the ceremony has survived for many years, no one has really questioned the reasons behind it, until Cuán starts to question it. The villagers live in fear of the creatures of the forest and the natural world. While there may be reasons for this fear in the distant past, they are never explained.

The production is aimed at audiences above eight years of age. While there is nothing too scary in the story, some elements of the plot may be too complex for younger viewers. It is an inventive and fun production that uses elements of fairytales to tell a story that is quite contemporary in nature. The production is quite a stylish affair. While there are no lavish sets, they make use of some simple elements to create settings for the scenes. The cast seems to enjoy themselves on stage, playing the different animals and other unusual characters. It’s always worthwhile to introduce the younger generation to the world of theatre and this production does enough to keep audiences young and old entertained!

Credits:

On-stage ensemble Jeanne Nicole Ní Áinle, Seoirsín Bashford, Christie Kandiwa, Zita Monahan McGowan, Seán T Ó Meallaigh
Production Manager Barry O’Donovan
Set Design Lian Bell
Lighting Design Blú Hanley
Movement Director Mufutau Yusuf
Costume Design Cherie White
Sound Design Ikenna Anyabuike
Stage Manager Gill NicConmara
Chief LX Eoin Winning
Company Co-Directors Máiréad Ní Chróinín & Ionia Ní Chróinín
Producer Jo Cummins