To Be or Not to Be Zocorro – Dublin Castle, Dublin

Writer and Director: Leonor Bethencourt

To be or not to be fascinated by a weird and wonderful masked walking tour in Dublin? A fairly easy question to answer – without a doubt you will be. Leanor Bethencourt is no stranger to walking tours and this new offering of To Be or Not to Be Zocorro is a pure delight. Zocorro is an alter ego that feels very close to Bethencourt’s heart; inspired by plenty of different experiences in her own life and originating from an Irish Food Safety ad that made her laugh, she makes for a very intriguing guide.

Starting at Dublin Castle, Zocorro invites you to join her in donning a mask, which adds a special element to the experience, especially if you’re already used to walking the streets of Dublin. From there she takes you on an ambling zig zag up through the winding alleys that branch off from George’s Street, Aungier Street and beyond, finding ‘Z’s wherever she goes. Even as a regular rambler of the city you may find yourself looking at vistas you’ve never really noticed before, or viewing them in a different light. Zocorro’s musings on the many different elements of the mask and what it means to performance, to revolution, to heroes and to villains, and to Dublin itself are extremely thought provoking. In encouraging the audience to wear a mask with her she provides an opportunity to be someone else, identity hidden in a public space, and yet a spectacle to those around; don’t be surprised if others walking the streets have something to say about the disguised faces, friendly “Go on Batwoman!” and “hello Zorros” are to be expected.

Zocorro’s manner is warm and welcoming, she is genuinely interested in the audience experience and has an easy ability to connect with those around her, whether audience member or stranger on the street. As is essential in a walking tour, she is well capable of making herself heard over the hustle and bustle of the streets, and she has a great eye for staging, positioning herself in interesting spots to deliver information that you won’t hear on other city tours. It’s a personal tour in some ways; this is Bethencourt’s home and has been for 25 years, and it’s an exploration of ideas that are of great interest to her, but it’s very accessible nonetheless, and it’s built on humour and whimsy. There will be anecdotes and facts of interest to natives and tourists alike – I couldn’t recommend it more.

Reviewed on May 20^th 2023.