"HERSELF" By: Tim McGillicuddy: At Goural theater: Part of Origin's Ist Irish Festival

"HERSELF"  By: Tim McGillicuddy:  At Goural theater: part of Origin's Ist Irish Festival;          Directed by Hamilton Clancy

Scene Design: Rebecca Lord Surrat; Light/Sound: Eric Nightengale; Costumes: Lisa Renee Jordan

"HERSELF"  A  World preimere, Produced by the drilling company, authored by Tim McGillicuddy is about a family story which has also effected the community and their social life. The story is about guilt, remorse, anger, shame, rumors and lots of serious gossip without many answers.

It takes place in a pub at the harbor sight in Gallway. Pub was owned by Jim Hays, co-owned by Peddy (Drew Vallins) Jim who was an alcholic and now deceased has left the pub for her sister Mureen (Kathleen Simmonds) who has come back from New York. She escaped to NY to suppress her dark memories of dysfunctional family and the father who was a tyrant and still is. Mureen is livid  still with her father and has never forgiven her father for mistreating her mother who is also deceased and her memory suffers from false rumors of perhaps having an affair with a parish priest which is a hot topic of gossip in the community which terribly effected jim.

This kind of scenario of a very prominent and wealthy family which has a lot of influence in  that town has left half baked rumors of impropriety which won't go away. Martin, the father brilliantly played by Hamilton Clancy. With incredible force, confidence and raging energy. He declares that he would rather built a shopping mall instead of his daugther keeping and repairing the old pub with the rotten pipes and floors. Mureen is also his father's daughter, ferocious Kathleen Simmonds dressed in a sytlish black designer's dress and an expensive rain court and high heels is livid and accuses her father about his maltreatment towards Jim and her mother. Hamilton Clancy doesn't give up, after all he is a billionaire and what do the billioners do? Build shopping malls...Wonderfully powerful scenes between the raging father and a very angry daughter.

The pub is frequented by the regulars, Peddy ( Drew Valins) who is also a bartender is a very nice peace loving person who likes to resolve every one's conflicts in a calm manner. There is Mary (Una Clancy) who is the town's gossip mongerer and knows all the secrets of every one as if she was an invisible presence at all occasions in every one's life. Una Clancy gives a stunning performance at once serious and hilarious.

Then there is Jane (Natalie Smith) pregnant girl friend of late Jim constantly consoled and loved by Maureen. Mureen has some kind of fetish of kissing the young Parrish Priest, father Michael (Skyler Gallun) who also is attracted towards Maureen and eventually goes for a confession. Of course this is an Irish play, a brilliant one on top of it full of the regular stuff, the pub, the lager, regulars, the gossip and rumors of all kinds with lot of dark humor, balm to the soul of Ireland.

The whole cast is absolutely brilliant. Kathleen Simmond, multi talented Hamilton Clancy, the director/artistic director of Drilling company theater and a powerful presence as an actor are scene stealers. Aiden (Patrick Hart) a handsome young fellow with a beautiful voice is also a heart breaker.At the end there is a surprise.

I throughly enjoyed this play as I enjoy most of the Origin's Ist festival's productions. I actually wait and wait for it's arrival. This year I haven't seen everything because I wasn't around but this is my usual experience.

Whenever I see a production of Origin's Ist show, I say to myself, "Oh! this one is the best" like recently I saw KING and was blown away, then I saw a sweet play brilliantly acted, "BUMBLED" and I said to myself, "Oh!  This one is the best and now, "HERSELF" and I declared to myself, "Oh! dear, this one is the best." I have come to a conclusion that almost every show, every reading, every event in this amazing festival is equally superb.

REVIEWED by

BINA SHARIF

ATCA

Editor/Publisher:artsinternationl.blogspot.com

email:binashariff@gmail.com

cell:212 260-6207

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