Hammam – Theatre Reveiew
by Frank L.

An Abbey Theatre and ANU Productions co-production
HAMMAM – Written and directed by Louise Lowe
20 December – 6 January 2024

All imagery by Pat Redmond

The play takes its name from the Hammam Hotel and Turkish Baths which was situated in O’Connell Street, or Upper Sackville Street as it was then known. It was destroyed at the start of the Civil War in July 1922, while it was occupied by a group of anti-Treaty forces. The Abbey Theatre and ANU Productions have combined to recreate the events of the hotel, using the basement of the Abbey Theatre. Hammam brings to a conclusion a sprawling series of twenty-two projects for ANU Productions. In this series, they have re-imagined the events which took place during this pivotal decade in the formation of our state. ANU seeks to make its productions site-specific where possible and the choice of the basement and nether regions of the Abbey Theatre is inspired.

The set design of Owen Boss and Maree Kearns with various contemporaneous artefacts such as an aluminium basin and iron bedstead bring to mind the aura of the early twenties. Similarly, for the most part, the sombre coloured costumes of the female cast by Saileog O’Halloran add to the sense of committed struggle but the scarlet blouse of one of the women gives a sense of the passion that burns inside each of these women as they fight for their cause. That fight is massively intensified by the fact that their enemy is now comprised of their former comrades in arms. In accepting and voting for the Treaty, they have created a divide with their former comrades, who now feel betrayed. The sense of betrayal burns intensively through each of them.  Their pride in what they set out to achieve together remains undiminished.

The four women are played by Ghaliah Conroy, Ella Lily Hyland, Una Kavanagh and Sarah Morris who multi-tasked through a myriad of activities as they determinedly fought their corner. They have their differences but there is one cause. Darragh Feehely is a visionary man of the cloth who deplores the role of the Church in support of the newborn State. His mission is to lay bare the truth. Robbie O’Connor, Jamie O’Neill and Matthew Williamson are the men of action who each have their own personal story in the common struggle. Peter Rothwell has the unenviable task of playing the role of a former comrade who is now the enemy as a captured soldier. He is the personification of what they all unanimously condemn.

The lighting by Ciaran Bagnall in the nooks and crannies of the Abbey basement adds to a sense of entrapment. While the sound design by Kevin Gleeson brings home the violence of what is taking place outside.

Once more Anu brings the audience into the heart of the action. Diarmuid Ferriter begins his programme note with “It should matter that you are there” and director Louise Lowe believes this encapsulates the approach of Anu Productions. In that ambitious task, Hammam succeeds without qualification.

Credits:
Writer and Director: Louise Lowe
Set Designer: Owen Boss
Set Designer: Maree Kearns
Costume Designer: Saileóg O’Halloran
Lighting Designer: Ciaran Bagnall
Composer: Rob Moloney
Sound Designer: Kevin Gleeson
Producers (ANU): Lynnette Moran
Producers (ANU): Matt Smyth
Cast: Ghaliah Conroy
Cast: Darragh Feehely
Cast: Ella Lily Hyland
Cast: Úna Kavanagh
Cast: Sarah Morris
Cast: Robbie O’Connor
Cast: Jamie O’Neill
Cast: Peter Rothwell
Cast: Matthew Williamson
Understudy: Oisín Thompson
Understudy: Pattie Maguire
Violin performance by: Courtney Cullen