Theatre Review
Croft Productions
Money from America
by Tom O’ Brien
Old Red Lion Theatre
4 – 30 August, 2008
A review by Alan Taylor for EXTRA! EXTRA!
Set in Waterford, Ireland, the action centres around Jack Carey’s return home. Having lived in New York for 30 years, he returns to his family home to sell off the land that is rightfully his. His younger brother resents the fact being that he has tended to the land while Jack was gone, and when Jack is found dead, the blame is placed squarely on him. Sharing a quality with most Irish drama, this piece is very ‘real’ and does have an air of being a slice of a moment in someone’s life. The basic storyline is well thought out, but there are touches that detract from an otherwise beautiful piece. For example, the use of ‘ghost sequences’ where characters from the past talk to them on stage; was this a necessary convention to thrust the action of the play? The otherwise natural dialogue is tainted by this, but O’ Brien’s writing and observation of the dynamic in relationships is strong enough without it. Great performance from Jackie Scarvellis as the widowed pig farmer Jackie - her impression of the embittered and salt of the earth woman makes for a lasting memory. Frank Fitzpatrick also makes an excellent Jack, and it would have been nice to see him drive the action a bit further, but a sterling performance. Starting off with delightful belief, the play starts to cascade very quickly towards the ending, ruining the atmospheric build up of tension. O’ Brien could have either made this a shorter, 45 minute piece, or extended it to a full 2 and half hour epic. Its inevitable conclusion could have been left more of a surprise, but there were several elements that could have been made a meal of - from flings that were flung to scores that were never settled. Instead O’ Brien chose to include them all, making the direction a little confused. That said, it is an enjoyable slice of rural Irish life, and finds a good home at the Old Red Lion Theatre. A comfortable, warm and welcoming play with tinges of humour and a lot of remorse, it has a number of highlights that lift the mood. You will especially empathise with this piece if you’ve ever moved away from home to try and make your fortune, making London a great forum for the matters at the heart of this play. Performances at 7.30pm, Sundays 4pm For more information, go to www.oldredlion.co.uk or call 0207 837 7816
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