Muicín – Project Arts Centre – Review
by Cormac Fitzgerald

Dates: 24-27 Feabhra/ February 2026
Fad / Duration – 60 Mins

Muicín is HK Ní Shioradáin’s Irish translation of Ultan Pringle’s acclaimed 2023 play Piglet. 

Mercy launches straight into her story, telling us how she went from studying in Trinity College to waitressing in a chipper in Offaly, with just a surly chef, John, for company. She breezes through various life events: there is talk of a painful breakup, a humiliation, once loyal friends abandoning her and her big breakdo- AHEM, moment of self-realisation. Then, Mercy’s two former best friends, Siobhán and Clara, call into the chipper one day (both personified brilliantly by Ní Éilí). At first, she is mortified; the conversation excruciating. But soon, in colourful, disturbingly violent language, Mercy plots her revenge.

To give too much more away would be to spoil the plot, which takes a number of twists and turns over the course of the 60-minute runtime. Muicín is a new play from LemonSoap Productions. It is an Irish language translation by HK Ní Shioradáin of 2023’s Piglet, written by Ultan Pringe. It is a dark, hilarious, heartbreaking, harrowing, and ultimately highly enjoyable play, dealing with themes of heartbreak, breakdown, isolation and familial abuse.

A piece like this hinges on the lead performance, and Ní Éilí is incredible as the deeply troubled Mercy Munroe. From the moment she enters the stage, she is captivating, bringing a wild energy and physical hilarity to the role, as well as a crushing sadness. The script switches quickly between moments of humour and deep pathos and trauma, and Ní Éilí handles it all perfectly. She has the audience laughing from almost the moment she emerges, and captures not only Mercy, but the physical presence, voices and mannerisms of the supporting characters too, even doing a very effective, extended Jennifer Coolidge impression (the famous US actor, most recently known for her role in the White Lotus TV series) in Irish. It is really an outstanding performance – captivating, vulnerable and at times unnerving, cruel and brutal. She also sings, dances, and does a lot of gross things with fish.

I did not see the original, English-language production, but Ní Shioradáin’s translation seems to capture the spirit of the piece perfectly, zipping along in a distinct colloquial style with a distinct rhythm and sharpness to the writing. The direction from Jeda de Brí is solid, and the lighting and sound design all enhance the action.

The play changes pace in the final third, when a new character is introduced, becoming a quieter two-hander. It suffers a bit as a result. We are treated to forty minutes or so of pure, virtuosic magic, only for everything to switch down several gears. It is clear what Pringle is hoping to achieve here, with a thought-provoking twist that forces the audience to reconsider all that came before. Ní ÉIlí is still great in this section, and Niamh Murphy plays a difficult role capably. The revelation works well, it just seems that the play misses a trick by not letting the charismatic lead tell the whole story. That is almost certainly the point, but as an audience member, there was a sense of deflation.

Another issue is with the English and Irish subtitles, which the audience has to read off their phone. This meant most people were split between staring at screens and the stage, which surely must have diminished the experience. There may have been specific reasons to choose this method, but onstage surtitles usually work very well and seem a far more preferable option than keeping people on their phones for the entire play. Even if you do not need the subtitles, being surrounded by lit-up screens takes away from the enjoyment of the action onstage.

These minor gripes aside, Muicín is an accomplished translation and production with an outstanding performance at its heart. Well worth the ticket price. Oink!

Muicín runs in the Cube space in the Project Arts Centre until the 27th of February. 

Sonraí an Léiriúcháin / Production Credits