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246 Letters
| Opening Date |
25 November 2010 |
| Closing Date |
2 December 2010 |
| Time |
7.30pm |
| Director |
Dan Bergin |
| Writer |
Jane Madden |
Cast
|
Brianne Fitzpatrick, Barry Morgan |
| Ticket Price |
€8 - €10 |
Venue
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Backloft Theatre
7-11 St. Augustine Street
Dublin 8 |
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Love, letters and at loggerheads.
Like the wholly unique image that a daguerreotype imprints, 246 Letters is an unusual epistolary play that tells of the ravages that love can inflict on its combative, yet vulnerable participants. Patsy (Brianne Fitzpatrick) and Ackey (Barry Morgan) are our two young protagonists who have reluctantly come together to debate, file and destroy the written evidence of their union. Both enter proceedings bearing bleeding and bandaged wounds-a useful metaphor for conveying the emotional scars wrought on their souls by their destructive relationship.
A more comely atmosphere than that artfully constructed by the 246 Letters crew could not be imagined. Big, all-embracing sofa chairs are lined up side-by-side for the grateful audience to nestle into, while the area where Patsy and Ackey debate their tempestuous melange is sparsely furnished by a desk, filing cabinet, sink and bin. An old-school typewriter with jammed typebars completes the rather late 1940s feel to the set while the room itself, although loft-like and airy, is made more intimate by the suffused glow of the lighting.
An inkling of something different was evident from Patsy's first stiff stride into the room. Entering behind the audience, she chides the somewhat submissive Ackey for being late. The pent-up frustration and agitation felt by both then manifests itself in petty squabbles until acquiescent, Ackey reaches into his pocket and takes out....a Tunnock’s Caramel Bar. Stifled giggles from a somewhat bemused audience are swiftly checked when we too, are invited to partake in some tea and 'dunking' of our very own caramel bars. Contented sighs all round.
While the somewhat saturated and fast-paced dialogue is at times superfluous, the acting is both professional and engaging. The efficient Patsy is perfectly juxtaposed with the rather endearing Ackey and while both realistically portray an errant former couple who still carry more than a flame of love for each other, it was actually off-stage and behind the heavy russet curtain that I caught a glimpse of the real emotive capacity of both leads as they flung their arms around each other in an excited and congratulatory hug. And well they should-it was a job well done.
- Louisa McElwee |
