The Lieutenant of Inishmore is a dark comedy by Martin McDonagh that revolves around the character Padraic, a violent and passionate member of the I.R.A, who is deeply attached to his cat, Wee Thomas. Padriac is in the midst of engaging in torturing a school-gate drug dealer when he receives a phone call from his Dad Donny (Alan Turkington) who gives him the news that his cat 'is poorly' (or so Padriac is led to believe). Padriac returns home to find out that his beloved cat has been killed, and in a mad rage, he tries to seek revenge against who he believes has 'killed the cat'.
The play juxtaposes the triviality of Padraic's obsession with his cat against the backdrop of political violence, revealing the absurdities of both love and conflict. As the story unfolds, characters grapple with their loyalties and the consequences of their actions, leading to a series of darkly comedic and violent confrontations. McDonagh uses humor to comment on the nature of violence and the often ridiculous justifications for it, making the play both thought-provoking and entertaining.
With direction from Chris Sonnex, this production brings a sharp and comic-book strip edge to McDonagh's already biting script. From the offset, the audience is thrust into a whirlwind of absurdity and dark comedy. Sonnex's direction perfectly captures the dark nature of the violence juxtaposed with the sentiment of grief of the loss of a pet. However, in this production, there is a clear focus on the humour aspect rather than the underlying themes. Whilst this seemed to land really well with the majority of the audience, the cast frequently spoke too quickly with heavy Irish accents, making it challenging to follow the dialogue and often leading to missing the jokes.
The cast all do a tremendous job of bringing their characters to life. Moore-Cook as Padraic is both menacing and hilariously oblivious, embodying a character that is as complex as he is entertaining. His interactions with the other characters, particularly Katherine Devlin as Mairead, highlight the absurdity of their circumstances. Devlin also gives a sinister performance, portraying a determined young girl completely captivated by the idea of joining the INLA.
Turkington and Taylor McClaine (the boy initially accused of killing Padraic's cat) bounce off each other really well, bringing the funniest moments of the evening in their drunken interactions, and later on, working together to dispose of the dead bodies.
The set design (Ellie Light) effectively evokes the rural Irish landscape, immersing the audience in the world of Inishmore. The attention to detail, from the rustic decor to the strategic use of space, enhances the storytelling, making the violence feel all the more impactful. The lighting design (Laura Howard) was striking, effectively highlighting the contrast between the violence and the humor.
The Lieutenant of Inishmore is a high-energy theatrical piece brimming with dark humor. While it contains serious themes to explore, they often feel overshadowed by the comedic tone in both the writing and direction.
The Lieutenant of Inishmore runs at Liverpool Everyman until 12th October - for tickets and more information, you can follow the link here.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | photography by Gary Calton
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