The Weir

Written in 1997, The Weir has had continued success including a recent revival at the Harold Pinter Theatre starring Brendan Gleeson. It is a tale as old as time, maybe a version of the Canterbury Tales, with a group of people (one of them an outsider) meeting together and telling their stories.

When the audience entered the Playhouse at Pateley Bridge, it was almost as if we were ourselves in Brendan’s Bar. The set was impressive and very detailed with a range of props casually arranged but giving us a real sense of place. The setting, however, must have been moved to present day, judging by the dates mentioned. Even the preshow announcement got us into the mood as the wood burner flickered in the darkness; and the mud on Jack’s coat and Jim’s shoes were yet another detail which added to the authenticity. I just wish there had been the slight sound of wind ongoing outside the pub, as well as the sudden rush of wind when the door opened. Then I would really have been in the Irish countryside late on a winter’s night.

The opening scene established the roles of Jack and Brendan, and we were immediately drawn into the characters of the two men. Jack (Michael Thorne, the pub regular) was focussed on his drinks, while Brendan (Tom Barber) gave an impressively naturalistic performance as he went about his business as mine host through the whole play. He said little but left a lasting impression. Details like his completion of crossword clues were not missed.

Eventually, after some banter and gossip, they are joined first by Jim (Jerry Harvey) and then by the much-anticipated Finbar and Valerie (Steve Langford and Carol Bailey). What is going on between these two, we are invited to wonder? Our attention is then drawn to a photo of the weir, and we are led to believe that it was built blocking the path of a fairy highway. But aside from that we get no clue as to why Connor McPherson chose this as his title.

Each of the characters except Brendan has a story to tell. Most have a supernatural element but all reveal something to us about the teller, and require varying degrees of vulnerability in the telling. A series of monologues like this can be tricky, especially in a fairly static environment. They were well told, but I would have appreciated a bit more variety in the pacing of delivery to distinguish between the four characters. I did particularly enjoy the final story. Jack recounts his real-life history, and we learn of his regret at spending his entire life alone and throwing away his chances of love. This was told with a touching honesty by Michael Thorne. Hopefully Valerie and Brendan listened carefully to his cautionary tale.

Full marks to the cast for their mastery of the Irish accent which was mostly very consistent. Subtle lighting added drama to the story telling and costumes were appropriate and sometimes very detailed. And a very well done to the whole cast for their focus, their active stillness and thoughtful silences as they sat for long periods listening or not actively engaging with the others. This is a difficult thing to master and all the cast did this very well. There was a strong authenticity throughout.

Congratulations to all the cast and crew and especially the director, Hugh Cawley for bringing this difficult piece to life.

 

 

 

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