Beards – The New Theatre – Review

Dates: Tuesday 29th October – Wednesday 6th November
Times: 7.30pm & matinee 2.30pm Saturday 2nd November

LemonSoap Productions presents Beards

The year is 1383 and the world is quite an unforgiving place if you’re young and gay. That’s why gay siblings Daryl and Erika came up with their unusual plan. They decided to marry each other’s lovers so they could appear to be straight to the outside medieval world. The two couples lived together in the same house and were quite content until an amazing event occurs. One of the young lesbians ‘falls pregnant’. They’re not quite sure how this could happen but the obvious assumption is that the child is the second coming of Christ! They decide to call the child Janet Christ and start to deal with the consequences of this bizarre event.

In case this storyline wasn’t unusual enough, the team behind this production decided to make it a Musical! This is the second production by Lemonsoap of the year, after Boyfriends which ran at the Project Arts Centre during the summer. Boyfriends was written and starred Ultan Pringle, this time out, Ultan is the director of the piece with HK Ní Shioradáin taking over the writing duties.

The play has four cast members, with the music for the piece performed by HK Ní Shioradáin, who sits on the side of the stage, playing keyboard and several other musical instruments. The set is minimal with a few wooden steps and a platform at the centre of the stage. The costumes are suitable medieval, other than the green Crocs one wears, while another wears dazzling sequin shoes! If you’re looking for historical accuracy, you’re looking in the wrong place. It’s all quite fanciful and played for laughs rather than focusing on authenticity. The production company already has quite a following within the LGBTQ+ community and productions like this will only help it grow. It has many gags and sketch show style humour that keeps the madcap production on the road. If you’re looking for an offbeat, sacrilegious musical… then look no further.

Cast: Sean Landau, Shane McCormick, Tierra Porter and Orla Scally

A new musical by HK Ní Shioradáin
Directed by Ultan Pringle
Costume and Set Design by Jack Scullion
Lighting Design by Owen Clarke
Design Assistant Em Kelleher
Produced by Lisa Nally
Starring Sean Landau, Shane McCormick, Tierra Porter, and Orla Scally