Director: Graham Watts
Court was in session in Vicar Street Dublin for the murder trial of Dale Irvine. Accused of killing his wife Meg, his trial is played out in front of a live audience who become the jury. Strobe lights, dramatic music and a flashing justice symbol kick off the show followed by a video outlining the circumstances of the case. It is, very much, a show. Leaning heavily into entertainment rather than realism, understandably maybe, but possibly disappointing to anyone attending for a more realistic experience. Particularly with true crime being as popular as it is nowadays.
The show is enjoyable. It is broken into 2 parts: the prosecution presents first, then the defence, and then the audience is given 10 minutes to use their phones to vote guilty or not guilty. It plays out similarly to a real life courtroom. Witnesses are examined and cross examined by each side, evidence is introduced and objections happen and are ruled on. There is some blatant homophobia throughout the show which is uncomfortable to watch and remains largely unchecked by the Judge until near the end. There are a lot of snide remarks and comments by both the defence and prosecution and a lot of eye rolling and face making towards the jury. All of which feels out of place for such a serious topic. The Judge, played by Karren Winchester, also breaks in with frequent witty comments. It feels a bit lost on them that someone has actually brutally died. It should be noted here, that the case presented is based on a true story.
The Defendant (Dale), played by Gavin Molloy, seems to be the only person taking this whole thing seriously. He gives a striking portrayal of a man desperate to prove his innocence.
Overall, if you go in expecting just entertainment, the show is enjoyable. It’s a fascinating look at a fictionalised version of the legal system in practice. Immersive theatre is becoming increasingly popular and this show is a strong effort in that genre.
Reviewed on May 20th 2025.
