Dancing at Lughnasa
Olivier Theatre, National Theatre. May 6, 2023
Lughnasa is the time of the harvest, a time for celebration, dancing and youthful high jinx.
Here we have 5 sisters, one brother and a child. This is the story of a family surviving and trying to thrive in rural Ireland.
They are constantly hit by difficulties — a child born out of wedlock but kept with the family, a brother returned from missionary work in Uganda where he’d ‘gone native’ preferring the local traditions and ceremonies to his catholic teachings, the effect of this lapsed catholic on the families fortunes, the eventual arrival of the industrial revolution… This is Irish Naturalism. A warmer, more tender version of Zola.
The play is narrated by Michael, now an adult. This is his fond memories of one late summer with his aunts in Bally Beig. There is tenderness and care in his words that punctuate each Act.
It’s also about love and longing. There is a heartbreaking scene where we realise Agnes is in love with Michael’s bounder father who is in turn stringing along Chris who’s hopelessly in thrall to him too. Maggie sees and understands what’s going on but she’s helpless in the face of an impossible situation.
It is wonderfully acted. You could feel a real connection between the actors — real warmth and camaraderie that made you smile and feel warm and glowing. Bravo Josie O’Rourke for creating this.
After a day watching the Coronation of Charles III on TV with all the pomp and ceremony, this was the antithesis. These women live a simple life with only the occasional snatch of music from a temperamental radio to lighten the mood and keep sadness from the door. Together they can face the world strong, it’s when they finally fracture that the world beats them.
Standout performances from Siobhan McSweeney (she can do no wrong) and Louisa Harland (who makes the pain of her sorrow almost tangible). But the whole cast are superb and deserve some awards when the Oliviers roll round.
4/5 A warm hug of a play.
