Writer: Keith James Walker
Director: Ian Toner
The Last Man in Ireland takes place in the last house in Ireland. After rising sea levels caused the majority of Ireland to be submerged, Dublin was broken off and sent towards England. Mick lives alone in the last house in Ireland where he is plagued by tourists while he lives a solitary life in his never ending quest to write a poem worthy of his absent love, Kitty. When his two brothers Barry, an actor from New York, and Jerry, a serial adoptive father, come to visit to convince him to sell the house, we see a dysfunctional, disconnected family in action.
The script relies on tired, outdated comedy tropes for its humour. After the first instance, it could be mistaken for a homage, however, repetitive use of the same jokes becomes exhausting. Several times throughout there is an attempt to use uncomfortable silence to produce laughter. The character of Barry is an overdone and over exaggerated stereotype of a Broadway performer. He struts, swooshes, changes accent, flips his hair and generally acts like he believes he is the main character in everyone else’s story. Likewise, Jerry is another stereotype with a problem with the drink and a problem with betting on the ponies while being a less than stellar father. The only somewhat likeable character is Mick, mostly because there is some sympathy produced for him throughout the play. His brothers want him to sell his home for their own selfish reasons with no consideration to what would happen to him.
The redeeming quality of this play is the performances. In a world of absurdity, the three actors managed to produce performances that were endearing to watch. Dan Monaghan, Barry McKiernan, and Ian Bermingham each brought a unique and interesting performance to their individual characters, holding the play together as the world it’s set sank into absurdity. All three created a comfortable familiarity that only comes from being family while also showing the disconnection that exists among the brothers.
The Last Man in Ireland is an ambitious concept that is unfortunately, let down by its execution.
Runs Until 19th April 2025.
