Theatre Review
Ibsen Croft Productions presents
Money from America
by Tom O’Brien Directed by Jillian Wallis
Broadway Studio Theatre
11-20 March, 2008 S
A review by David Hermann for EXTRA! EXTRA!
Are you theatrically well-nourished? Do you keep a diet of whatever delicacies are dished out between the National, the two Vics and the Haymarket, balanced with a healthy dose of Central London fringe once every two weeks? Then, by all means, read no further. If, however, you find yourself wondering occasionally what happened to the primal, wholesome enjoyment you used to feel long ago when sprawling across the front row of a small auditorium, drink in hand and ready to engage with whatever they hurl at you, then tell your friends to stuff that amazing new dance company from Azerbaijan, pull on a pair of woollen socks and head down to Catford’s Broadway Studio to remind yourself what the essence of Theatre feels like with Croft Productions’ wholesome interpretation of Tom O’Brien’s murder mystery Money from America. Like the play itself, the backdrop of Jenny Carpenter’s set, an effortlessly painted pastoral scene, asserts no claim to realism. The disconnected greens of pine trees float just so beside their simply drawn brown trunks while a flock of birds hangs suspended as different-sized black v-shapes above a range of rocky hills. The audience may glimpse only a small part of this landscape through a window left by a draughty wall of haphazardly nailed-together planks adorned with all manner of farm-equipment, hockey sticks, empty bottles of various shapes and sizes and the obligatory catholic kitsch depiction of Jesus and the sacred heart. For those in any doubt that we are, indeed, in a rural part of the Republic of Ireland, a photograph of Irish independence champion Éamon de Valera leans against the wall and an ornamental dishcloth depicting the country’s outline and the Azure, and a harp covers an upstage kitchen sink. Are we to take this as a statement of intent? A subtle proclamation, perhaps, that this is not quite British Kitchen Sink Realism but its rambunctious, less realistic but nonetheless poignant Irish cousin? Very likely. This production is deceptively gaudy, hiding its finer points under a blanket of thickly spread character acting, precipitated by O’Brien’s text and dutifully staged by Jillian Wallis under the watchful eyes of artistic director John Dunne. In a desperately funny performance that oddly exudes a vibe of Wallace-deserted-by-Gromit, Alexander Gordon-Wood plays Lardy, a kooky, poitín-distilling shepherd whose only company is Molly the pig-farmer, played in an outrageously butch manner by Josephine McCaffrey. Lardy has been subsidised over the years by older brother Jack (Desmond Brittain), who returns after thirty years of living in America to stake his rightful claim on the family farm, which he plans to turn into a seaside resort at the urging of Phyllis, his toffee-nosed fiancée from Dublin. Jack is eventually found murdered in what appears to be a biblical case of fratricide, where the sedentary brother slays the nomadic one in a fit of jealousy. When detective McClusky (Jimmy O’Rourke) is brought in to investigate, however, the story twists off towards an altogether different conclusion. Money from America is a cosy whodunnit, best enjoyed with a pint of Guinness, an appetite for gorgeously over-the-top acting and a willingness to relish its hidden gems, such as the two references to Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Outstandingly nuanced performances are delivered by Jacqueline Jordan and Josephine McCaffrey, particularly in their final scene together. The same goes for Brittain and Gordon-Wood, a circumstance which suggests that Jillian Wallis devoted particular attention to these duologues - an attention that some of the busier scenes could have done with. Another directorial once-over could elevate this production into the sublime. Still, even in its current state, CroftProductions’ Money from America was enjoyed intensely by its local audience, soliciting spontaneous applause in unexpected places and radiating a sense of authenticity, perhaps, as John Dunne points out, because each cast-member is to some extent part of the Irish Diaspora. Having said that, Money from America can and should be enjoyed especially by those who know nothing about Ireland and its history except the IRA and Father Ted. And if Catford is too far out of your way, the good news is that you can get your fix of rooted-to-the-soil-theatre in August, when the production transfers to the Old Red Lion in what will doubtless be an even more satisfying show.
Broadway Studio Theatre Catford Broadway, SE6 4RU. Catford/Catford Bridge rail 8pm (no shows Sun/Mon). 2pm mats
http://www.broadwaytheatre.org.uk/
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