Derry Boys

What is to be truly praised in this debut play by Irish writer Niall McCarthy is the sheer ambition of looking at the huge issue of Irish Identity against a growing world that appears to be turning it’s back on globalisation and turning more and more insular. Here the protagonists are two boys, born and raised in Derry, then escaping those confines to a London where hopes are destined to fall short. Each in their own way is damaged and fighting to find any sort of future, but getting past a Northern Ireland of segregation and the history of the Troubles is a constant reality that refuses to go away.

With such complex characters and storylines this play requires intelligent direction that it gets from Andy McLeod’s tight and controlled interpretation. He keeps the pace of the multiple scenes, locations and time shifts clear and always imbued with the heightened drama this play requires.

Then as the Derry Boys themselves, Mick (Matthew Blaney) and Paddy (Eoin Sweeney) give totally believable performances as both schoolboys and angst-ridden young men. The way that can switch from the humorous moments to the devastation in the minds of these two characters is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Add to this mix Aoife, played excellently by Catherine Rees, whose character is equally fighting to better herself. Initially by becoming Paddy’s school girlfriend, then his level-headed partner. It is her that gains the success that Paddy echoes but never quite achieves. This sets up an interesting love triangle that has shades of Blood Brothers by Willy Russell. However, is different in that it deals emotionally with Paddy’s struggle to keep the love Aoife without losing the respect and love of his militant and often deluded best friend Micky. And like Blood Brothers has a destiny that is clearly tragic from the start but has a couple of late dramatic twists that aren’t expected.

There is quite a lot of exposition that the audience require within the initial scenes that is embedded well into the boy’s militant planning and petty arguments, but with such full-on vocals and high-octane pace, some of this gets a little lost whilst still tuning into the accents. It is in the second half of this 90minute play where it feels it settles and we have time to be truly moved by the situations that occur. Where moments of stillness and silence speak volumes.

It is also great to see a production where the set and costume (Caitlin Abbot), lighting (Jodi Rabinowitz) and sound design (Rudi Percival) become other characters and gel totally with play and its dramatic concept.

This is a play and production that feels urgent and totally relevant to the times that we find ourselves in, and a shocking reminder of how destructive strongly held beliefs can be when they cross the line into anarchy. A must see!