The Magic Glasses – Bewley’s Cafe Theatre – Review

George Fitzmaurice’s The Magic Glasses – June 22nd – July 18th

Jaymony Shanahan (Ross Gaynor) has become obsessed. He spends his days alone in his loft, staring into a strange—possibly magical—device he bought from a “brown woman”. His parents, played by Helen Norton and Jonathan White, are deeply worried, fearing he has either been possessed by spirits or lost his mind. Desperate to save him, they summon the local faith healer, Mr Quille (Malcolm Adams), in the hope that he can cure their son’s affliction. The Magic Glasses follows the healer’s arrival at the family’s small farmhouse and his increasingly desperate attempts to free Jaymony from this strange new obsession.

The play was written by George Fitzmaurice (1877–1963), who was born in Listowel, County Kerry. One of Ireland’s leading playwrights of the early twentieth century, Fitzmaurice first found success at the Abbey Theatre with The Country Dressmaker. The Magic Glasses premiered there in 1913. Although more than a century old, it feels remarkably contemporary, centring on a young man who shuts himself away in his room, spending every waking moment transfixed by a mysterious device.

The set is simple but effective. An old kitchen dresser, lined with jugs and plates, immediately evokes the rural farmhouse of 1913, while a worn kitchen table and chairs dominate the foreground. It’s a compact playing space for four actors, but the confined setting enhances the sense of claustrophobia that hangs over the production.

The play unfolds at breakneck pace, performed with wide-eyed intensity by the cast. The audience is constantly trying to make sense of the torrent of language and ideas, and there are moments when you’re left wondering exactly what is happening. Fitzmaurice’s script is rich with ornate, sometimes challenging dialogue, but it also contains plenty of humour. The ending arrives abruptly, leaving the audience with almost as many questions as they had when the play began.

The production’s greatest strength is its performances. Helen Norton and Jonathan White carry much of the action, throwing themselves wholeheartedly into the play’s eccentricity while remaining consistently entertaining. Having previously shared the stage in To Hell in a Handbag—one of the highlights of this venue’s 2017 season—they once again demonstrate a compelling chemistry. Malcolm Adams and Ross Gaynor match their energy throughout, helping to create a performance that is fast-paced, surreal, and engaging.

CAST AND CREW​

WRITTEN BY: George Fitzmaurice
DIRECTED BY: Conall Morrison
FEATURING: Malcolm Adams, Ross Gaynor, Helen Norton and Jonathan White
STAGE MANAGER: Em Kelleher
SET DESIGN: Liam Doona
COSTUME DESIGN: Sinead Lawlor
LIGHTING DESIGN: Colm Maher
SOUND DESIGN: Simon Kenny
GRAPHIC DESIGN: Gavin Doyle