Writer and Director: Matthew Ralli
As we ‘tree bonders in training’ wait at the entrance to the National Botanic Gardens for Ireland’s foremost Tree Whisperer to arrive, the play’s Creative Producer, Colm Maher, is on hand to furnish each of us with a badge, a map and an intriguing riddle. It’s a soft day … nice weather for ducks.
Fraxin (Gene Rooney), when she appears, is a vision. Hats off to costume designer Roisín Ní Ghabhann, the costume decoration was brilliant and hilarious. The force of her presence is immediately felt. She is warm, vivacious and energetic. One of our number, Joe (Patrick Ryan), is irritable and impatient. He is paying a large sum for the Druid to guide him on a trail of specific trees as directed by his curious poem, and our group (the audience) are interlopers.
There is a duality to this play. On the one hand you have Fraxin introducing us, eloquently and lovingly, to a variety of her friends, the trees, each of whom has its own particular personality and quirky name to boot. On the other hand you have a swarthy and surly Joe with his own skullduggerous agenda, the end-game of which will only cause harm to the mighty Oaks, Pines, and Elms.
If there is a weakness, it is in the plot line driven by the latter. Although very well acted by Ryan, his character’s story is unwieldy and slightly juvenile. While we, Fraxin’s “disciples”, or “groupies” as Joe refers to us, thoroughly enjoy our jaunt through the resplendent National Botanic Gardens, this production with its treasure hunt would make an ideal fun and educational tour for school children.
The stars of this show are, undoubtedly, the trees themselves. They are majestic. In his book ‘The Living Wisdom of Trees’, Fred Hageneder writes that “The tree of life is the great Mother of creation: all-encompassing, all-birthing, all-healing”, “that we are all travelling together through the cycle of life”. Matthew Ralli’s ‘The Tree Whisperer’ reminds us of this and urges us to take the time to notice, truly see and appreciate them, in all their glory.
Runs until June 24th 2023.
The Review's Hub Score
Good for the soul!
