The God and His Daughter – Abbey Theatre – Review
Part of the Dublin Theatre Festival 

The Boy: A Two-Play Theatrical Event – Written by Marina Carr
Directed by Caitríona McLaughlin

Dates: Until Sat, 1st November 2025

The events in The God and His Daughter follow directly from those in The Boy. We meet Oedipus (Frank Blake) as he arrives in an unknown location, being guided by his daughter Antigone (Éilish McLaughlin). He is blinded and exiled from his home. He seeks to meet with Theseus (Abdelaziz Sanusi) and wishes to be granted access to Theseus’ kingdom. He soon discovers that the place he has arrived in is called Colonus. While he has never been in this location before, he has heard its name mentioned. Earlier in his life, Oedipus heard a prophecy that it would be the place of his death!

This is the second part of ‘The Boy: A Two-Play Theatrical Event’, which is taking place at the Abbey Theatre. It follows the events of Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone, which were first performed in 401 BC. This production uses the same cast as The Boy and provides a sense of resolution to the characters from the first production. We have a succession of scenes with the various characters, some following the events from Sophocles’ work, whereas others come entirely from writer Marina Carr’s imagination.

The is a touch of Beckett about the setting for Colonus, with a large open space and a concrete plinth at the centre of the stage. There is a lone tree standing at the rear of the set, and you can’t help but think of Waiting for Godot. The set changes for each of the scenes, with the lighting also changing the mood.

While it is unlikely that many will see this work without having first seen The Boy, it does have much to say in its own right. Carr has created something unique with this combination of Greek and Irish myth, with two very different worlds colliding. The language is closer to home and feels modern and contemporary, with a variety of Irish accents. It is not the first time Carr has tried such techniques, and she is quite adept at this fusion.

At the end of the evening, Olwen Fouéré stepped forward to say a few words about Manchán Magan, the Irish author, traveller, broadcaster and documentary maker. It was a fitting tribute to a man who did much to highlight the importance of the Irish language during his life.

Credits
Godwoman: Jolly Abraham
Chrysippus: Noah Behan
Oedipus: Frank Blake
Queen of the Furies: Jane Brennan
Moon: Amy Conroy
Chrysippus: Harley Cullen Walsh
Woman: Zara Devlin
Haimon: Eimhin Fitzgerald Doherty
The Shee: Olwen Fouéré
Farmer: Seán Fox
Oreone: Ronan Leahy
Creon: Seán Mahon
Laius: Frank McCusker
Antigone: Éilish McLaughlin
Theseus: Abdelaziz Sanusi
Sphinx: Catherine Walsh
Jocasta: Eileen Walsh

Playwright: Marina Carr
Director: Caitríona McLaughlin
Set Design: Cordelia Chisholm
Costume Design: Catherine Fay
Lighting Design: Jane Cox
Composition and Sound Design: Carl Kennedy
Video Design: Dick Straker
Movement Director and Choreographer: Stephen Moynihan
Voice Director: Andrea Ainsworth
Hair and Make Up: Leonard Daly
Assistant Director: Éadaoin Fox
Assistant Lighting Design: Jess Fitzsimons Kane
Assistant Sound Design: Ultan de Stainléigh
Associate Video Design: Jachym Bouzek
Fight Director: Alan Walsh
Singing Coach: Danny Forde
Casting Director: Barry Coyle
Publicity Image: Sarah Doyle
Graphic Design: AAD
Illustration of Marina Carr: Louise Boughton