Hangmen

The TAMARITANS THEATRE COMPANY
HANGMEN By Martin McDonagh
Performed at The Barbican Theatre, Plymouth
As seen by Nina Jarram, NODA SW District 3 Representative on Saturday 25th
October 2025
Directed by Vince Sutton

The production opened with a strikingly immersive set: a dark, dingy closed
pub, its red velvet bar stools evoking a bygone era of Northern hospitality. Yet
instead of welcoming us with warmth, the sudden blaze of house lights revealed
a disgruntled prisoner, moments away from his fate at the gallows. The actor
portraying this hapless convict treated us to a comedic routine seeped in
physicality and repeated protest of his innocence This jarring transition
immediately set the tone, an uneasy blend of humour and menace. The sound
design was particularly effective here. Clever sound scaping underscored the
prisoner’s ignored pleas, while the playful “noose-ography” quickly shifted into
a chillingly realistic execution. This juxtaposition of comedy and brutality
became the hallmark of the evening.
The pub soon filled with a plethora of stock characters, each brought to life with
sharp comic timing and overlapping dialogue that felt both chaotic and
authentic. These were enjoyable performances. The actor playing Agnes was the
pivot of the scene whose patronage of this tavern outlined the sense of the small
village community being portrayed. The actor playing the Inspector treated us to
an enjoyable stereotype of a village bent copper seen in 1970s cop shows
depicting a likeable officer of the law with a penchant for the odd pint and not a
lot else. This was a strong and enjoyable depiction of a stereotypical Northern
copper.
The actor playing Mooney ably portrayed the confident, slightly dodgy
Londoner whose broken Zippo lighter became a subtle but telling character
detail. His swagger contrasted beautifully with the pub’s laid-back regulars. The
actor playing the Landlord&39;s 15-year-old daughter was less convincing in her
teenage rebellion, largely due to casting age rather than performance skill. Still,
her Harry Enfield–style “Kevin the Teenager” mannerisms captured adolescent
angst with precision.

The actor playing Clegg the Journalist was assertive and hungry for a story,
though the casting raised questions of historical accuracy. A female journalist
investigating capital punishment in 1960s Northern England felt anachronistic,
despite the actor’s strong delivery.
There were two extremely experienced actors playing Harry the Hangman and
his wife Alice; Landlords, parents and bringing together this wonderful
community of misfits with an abundance of warm community spirit. This was
nicely highlighted by the SFX of torrential rain from the outside and the
realistic wetting of clothes as people entered the dry environment. The actor
playing Harry is an excellent orator able to project effectively in any given
space and acted as the pivot of the play able to successfully interpret the
playwright’s talent for combining dark and violent situations with moments of
humour and humanity.
Mooney’s final monologue was especially well staged: supported by the
ensemble’s strong and silent presence, it became a layered moment of tension
and absurdity. The director’s hand was evident in the ensemble’s carefully
choreographed physicality. Each actor reacted with nuance to the climactic
accidental hanging of the supposed protagonist, never breaking character or
intention. The farcical speed of the hanging scene left the audience breathless,
unable to dissect the mechanics before being swept into its tragic absurdity.
The placement of the bar at the back of the stage raised questions. It forced
some actors to deliver lines facing away from the audience, diluting the impact
of otherwise strong performances. While the set was evocative, some costume
choices felt inconsistent. Period authenticity occasionally slipped into hints of
the 1970s and 1980s, which jarred against the intended 1960s setting. A special
mention though to the actor playing Pierrepoint. His suit was exceptionally
sharp with complimented his sharp performance, a costume that perfectly
matched his crisp, commanding performance. His immaculate appearance even
provoked a humorous curiosity: did his hair smell faintly of stale Byrlcreem?
While the soundscape was largely effective in anchoring the atmosphere of the
piece, there were moments where the music became overpowering. Its volume
and duration occasionally disrupted the pace of the narrative, pulling focus
away from the actors’ delivery and the subtleties of their performances. That
said, the choice of music was period-appropriate, aligning well with the 1960s
Northern setting and reinforcing the intended mood.

This production was a well-written, well-directed exploration of tragic
absurdity, blending humour with violence to probe the moral complexities of
human nature. Despite minor quibbles in casting and design, the ensemble’s
chemistry and the director’s bold staging created a compelling theatrical
experience.

PLEASE NOTE: Any observation made by the reviewer can only be based on what he sees at the
performance in question. The reviewer may have received information in advance of the performance
and it is
inevitable that his assessment will be affected by that knowledge.
The N.O.D.A. Representative’s intention is to give an objective critique of the overall production and in
particular the performance viewed. It should be remembered that any review of this nature can only
be objective as far as the techniques used during the performance observed. Any criticisms
expressed may not have been valid at other performances, and are only made to encourage higher
standards in Amateur Theatre.
It is hoped that the audience’s appreciation of your efforts will have given everyone a lift and
encouraged you to greater achievements in the future and that the observations made by the reviewer
will prove helpful in improving future productions.

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