Ulster American – Abbey Theatre – Review
by Fran Winston

The Abbey Theatre presents the Irish Repertory Theatre production – Ulster American
Written by David Ireland
Directed by Ciarán O’Reilly

Dates – Until August 22. Tickets €15-€55

In possibly the most meta piece of casting ever seen on the stage of the Abbey Theatre, a huge Hollywood icon plays a huge Hollywood icon in this exploration of cultural identity and ego.

Matthew Broderick, of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off fame, plays self-obsessed, Oscar-winning Hollywood idol Jay Conway – one of those exceedingly annoying Irish-Americans who has never actually visited the country but talks affectionately about a diddly-eye version of “the old country”.
He’s about to appear in an Irish play – running in the UK – and the action is set on the night before rehearsals begin, when he meets director Lee Carver (Max Baker), a pretentious luvvie more interested in bums on seats than truthful artistic interpretation.

As they sit chatting in Lee’s living room – a fantastically observed piece of staging for a self-obsessed theatre maker, complete with industry posters – the conversation takes an unsavoury turn as Jay reflects on a previous role and poses a despicable question. Before they can dwell on it for too long, the writer of the play, Ruth Davenport (Geraldine Hughes), arrives, flustered after a car crash involving her mother en route to the airport.

A proud Belfast woman, she quickly bursts Jay’s bubble, informing him that the character he is playing is not, in fact, an Irish Catholic freedom fighter but a British Protestant republican. She confuses matters further when she informs both men that she is British – despite both protesting that she isn’t – exposing just how little they understand about the politics of Ireland, and particularly Ulster.

A horrified Jay challenges her work, imploring her to rewrite it to suit his sensibilities, leading to a farcical breakdown in civilised communication as historical baggage, personal belief systems and huge egos collide.

This is a wonderful piece of writing. It is hilarious from the off, sometimes uncomfortably so. Jay’s misogynistic and obnoxious remarks are akin to an embarrassing uncle – if that uncle were a superstar with an ego the size of a continent.

The awkward arguments about Irish history – something so often misunderstood by the British and Americans – are extremely relatable, as both Lee and Jay try to preserve their rose-tinted version of the country rather than face the sometimes unpleasant and complex realities of Northern Ireland.
The cast are very impressive, and putting Broderick in such a self-deprecating role is a genius move. However, it is Hughes who truly shines as the unyielding, opinionated and often belligerent writer who is just done with taking crap from men – particularly ones who couldn’t even be bothered to do their research.

Absurd, funny and thought-provoking, this is a fantastic 90 minutes of theatre that leaves you with plenty to unpack afterwards.

Credits
Lee Carver: Max Baker
Jay Conway: Matthew Broderick
Ruth Davenport: Geraldine Hughes

Director: Ciarán O’Reilly
Set Designer: Charlie Corcoran
Costume Designer: Orla Long
Lighting Designer: Michael Gottlieb
Sound Design: Florian Staab
Sound Design & Original Music: Ryan Rumery
Properties: Deirdre Brennan
Assistant Costume Design: Lindsey Eifert
Fight Director: Rick Sordelet
Production Stage Manager: Karen Evanouskas
Assistant Stage Manager: Jade Doina
Managing Director: Lisa Fane
Press Representative: Print Shop PR