Director: Nastaise Leddy
Would Joyce have ever guessed that over 100 years after publication, theatre troupes would be putting on productions of his famous tome? I could only imagine he’d be impressed and delighted by this fully dramatised adaptation of Ulysses, compressed into eighty minutes by the Idrone Players: well worth the trip out to Martello Tower in Dun Laoghaire. It was a perfect day for the performance, the sun shining as Dedalus and Mulligan looked out over the snot green sea.
The Idrone Players bring the tapestry of Joyce’s characters to the stage in a miraculous way: a colourful and spritely cast of actors thread Dedalus’ sorrow, Leopold’s appetite and Molly’s passion seamlessly throughout the piece; along with some enchanting musical themes. Nastaise Leddy made some excellent choices here, particularly the three women, repeating certain phrases (reminiscent of the witches in Macbeth); it’s a perfect choice to capture the tormented mind of Dedalus and the constant stream of other voices that echo in the characters’ heads. The sights, sounds and smells of Joyce’s Dublin (much like Dublin today) are captured here. Delightful segments of physical comedy are interspersed with some beautiful voices.
The dance motifs appear like sea changes throughout the production; Dedalus’ dance in particular does a beautiful job of highlighting his inner turmoil. The production handles the humour and horrors within the show with panache: it’s fun filled and fanciful like child’s play; until the absolute silence of the audience as Molly’s stunning soliloquy is delivered.
The sweet song of Joyce’s lyricism rings through; hearing his words spoken by truly talented performers was a delight to behold – with the added pleasure of hearing their voices echo around the tower.
This is a wonderful piece to celebrate Ulysses and bask in the beauty of Joyce’s words and vision. Fingers crossed they put it on again next year.
Reviewed: 13th June 2026.
