Writer: Nicholas Makin
Director: Kathleen Warner Yeates
“This is a nice quiet little parish, nothing untoward going on here”, except the sexual revolution taking place among the women of the parish. The Devil and the Durex is a humorous exploration of the sexual awakening in one Irish town in the 1970s.
It opens with Tom (Richard Sweetman) and Paddy (Simon Cunningham) talking at the back of the church while passively taking part in the ritual of the ongoing mass. They are discussing Tom’s wife Sheila (Carmel Stephens) and her recent sexual awakening. Caused by the TV in Moloney’s pub and the books she’s ordered from England, “Sheila sees things and she knows it can be different”. Tom is so exhausted from Sheila’s constant need for sexual contact that he has sewn his underpants to his shirt in desperation. Paddy, on the other hand, only has sex with his wife Patricia (Helen O’Brien) on her birthday and at Christmas and that is how he likes it. That is until Patricia also catches the ‘notions’ that Sheila has. The men struggle to deal with the women in their lives’ new found sexuality and assertiveness and decide they have to find a way to take back control and, of course, hijinks ensue.
Brought to life by an incredible cast, each character in this play feels familiar. Each performance is well thought out and consistent. Although comical, there are a number of moments of seriousness throughout and each of these is performed in a thoughtful manner. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the role of Willie was played by Ray Yeates with script in hand. This didn’t take away at all from the play as a whole and his performance was on par with the other actors on stage. There was an excellent use of space in the Boy’s School theatre space as actors used the ramps to ‘parade’ through the audience during certain parts. Although the time between scenes could feel a little long as cast members were setting up the set, each individual set, designed by Sophie Meehan, felt unique in its own way while still being connected and cohesive. Coupled with the inspired costuming by Jennifer Keane, the transformation to 1970s Ireland is comprehensive.
The movement for women to be seen more, heard more, and respected more is echoed through the whole of The Devil and the Durex. Each of the women are finding ways to assert their own wants and desires and do their part to help the other women in their town do the same. All of this while the eyes of the Catholic Church loom over everyone in the town.
The Devil and the Durex is definitely worth seeing.
Runs Until May 10th 2025.
The Review's Hub Score
Small Town Scandal
