Writer: Thomas Collins
Director: Úna Ní Nualláin
Across the Fence is, ultimately, about land, about space – who has it, who has the right to it, and what people will do to protect whatever physical or mental space they have. At the centre of the piece, in all ways, is Jimmy (Thomas Collins)’s space. He is a Traveller who is building a fence around his garden “to make it feel more like home,” but is assailed and assaulted from the local settled community. He strikes up a relationship with his neighbour, a child named Aoife (Daisy Moon), who sees prejudice and bigotry up front for the first time. Across the Fence is a short, raw piece, whose ragged edges are possibly explained by seeing the preview, and is nevertheless an urgent voice in this year’s Fringe Festival.
The floor in Smock Alley’s Boys’ School is tight, with little space to move or have set changes, so director Úna Ní Nualláin and her creative team made excellent decisions to employ the venue’s ramps, window spaces, platforms, and parts of the audience to tell the tale, and emphasise Jimmy’s desire to protect himself and his land. This is also coupled with the sense that he needs to explain and excuse his space – by building a fence, he has a better chance of fitting in with his settled neighbours, and may be left alone by them.
Collins and Moon are great to watch together, they’re easy and funny and comfortable, but there is also the constant sense that Jimmy is dripfeeding her knowledge of the adult world of pointless hate and division. This is compounded by her mother’s drinking and physical abuse, and their neighbour Tommy (Emmet Farrell)’s resentment against all Travellers. His hatred intensifies when his mother faints in Jimmy’s company; he blames Jimmy, and daubs a slur on the fence he has carefully worked on. The additions of these extra plot points never quite work – whether it’s the injection of external themes and stories, or the illogical nature of some moments, they are unnecessary and take us out of the moment. The idea, performances, and chemistry between the two mean this could have been a two-hander, with only sparing contributions from other characters, at best, and been more effective.
However, this is largely to nitpick – the rarity with which Traveller voices, stories, and performers appear on the Dublin stage is a disgrace, and works such as this highlight not only the contribution to societal conversations, but also the pure talent, that is being squandered by this crippling bigotry. Across the Fence shoves this bigotry into our faces, and demands we see, understand, and act on it.
Runs Until 19th Sept 2026.
