THEATRE REVIEW: Pentecost

The Lyric Theatre hosts a strongly acted and well scripted tale of penetrative penitence

Stewart Parker's powerful period piece, Pentecost, resurrected for Belfast's Lyric in 2014 by the theatre's executive producer Jimmy Fay, is a throat-grabbing, entrancing experience. Originally performed by Stephen Rea and his Field Day Theatre Company in 1987, Pentecost is bittersweet in both tone and back story: it was the last play to flow from Parker's pen before he succumbed to cancer a year after its debut.

And the moods and characterisations reek of what might have been Parker's then state of mind: dour but determined, a belief in relief from prolonged pain. Parker's final written gift to us is a series of mirroring analogies strung entirely across a rich, darkly humorous and deeply affecting tapestry of concentrated characterisation. It is a remarkable achievement: intelligent without being impertinent, driven without being didactic.

The setting is Belfast in the throes of the Ulster Workers' Strike of 1974, an event that remains both important and poorly understood forty years on. The idealism of the sixties has wilted and all but died, theft, violence and black market trading are prevalent, and "spongers" are frowned upon heavily by Harold Wilson's Labour government. Northern Ireland is generally a dangerous and daunting place to be at this time. Central to this particular scenario, in the words of director Fay, are "four wounded people in a room... inching their way towards a form of communication." Four people... and one ghost.

Derry-Londonderry actress Judith Roddy (above) endures another Particle Of Dread as Marian, an extremely troubled soul all too slowly inching her way towards divorce from Paul Mallon's motor mouthed Lenny. Their first exchanges are as damp and unforgiving as the peeling paper and insecure insulation of the walls surrounding them, strongly reflecting the attitudes and accommodation of the time. Both Lenny and Marian are, naturally, cynical. But while he seems loudly laconic, she seems academically apathetic, a "quality" she attempts to put to good use in this atmosphere.

Or should that be atmos-fear? For Marian is haunted by unwelcome visits from the spirit of Lily (the excellent Carol Moore), the late, lifelong resident of the house Marian is trying to claim for herself. "You have no right to be here!" screams Lily to Marian during their first visible encounter. But Marian doesn't even like herself, let alone Lily: her battle with the bottle and the quest to find a roof, any roof, to sleep under, seem like the only things keeping her alive for now. And Roddy intelligently depicts her character's not fully convincing facade; we already get the first hint that Marian has more in common with Lily than she would like to admit.

Roisin Gallagher ratchets up the tempestuous, testing tension as Marian's childhood friend Ruth. Forced to flee into the questionable warmth of Marian's heart and hearth after beatings from her abusive husband become too much to take, she is young Connie Corleone personified: defending an indefensible partner for unknown reasons, other than that he is the only companion she believes she will find at the time. Here Parker's script enters a sticky moral quandary. How much value do Marian's advice - sensible it may be - and "home" have for Ruth, when Marian has not even finalised a divorce or fully settled into her new surroundings herself? But then, Marian is trying to break up an unhealthy relationship as opposed to running away from it, and perhaps Ruth's uncomfortable reactions stem from Marian not telling her what she wants to hear. It's a confident, concise countering of the "moral high ground" quagmire, and it is to Roddy, Gallagher, Parker and Fay's credit that it comes off.

The women of the play have cast such a shadow over events so far that the male actors, Paul Mallon (above) and Will Irvine, have their work cut out for them. But they are up to the task, particularly Irvine, who eventually transcends the initial stereotype of a clueless, comedic hippie. His early "Rhys Ifans in Notting Hill" expressions would be more than enough to raise his profile on their own, but that would be diminishing the effect of his all round character playing - and, for that matter, everyone else's.

Bombshell after bombshell, be they literal or humane, descend on this not so nuclear "family" as the play proceeds, with Marian battling to maintain her composure as the apparent "leader of the gang". She insists that certain possessions and rooms of Lily's must stay untouched to protect her memory. But what the play really appears to suggest is that Marian's actions exist to protect herself: the spiritual sojourns of Lily are taking their toll on someone who simply wants somewhere to live. Pentecost feels as much about the quest for a stable identity as the quest for a stable home. And Marian is not finding it in a metaphorical "hall of mirrors" where her inner demon is reflected in the outer demon of Lily: both women are defined by stubborn, angry facades as their coping mechanisms.

By contrast, the melodies Lenny, a failed musician, plays on his trombone are, coincidentally, as catastrophically cacophonic as The Troubles, while Peter eats muesli. Lots of it. Peter develops a "plague on both their houses" attitude - to him, it's no longer us versus them, but he versus an irrational "it" which he doesn't, or simply doesn't want to, understand. We pity him here - who would want to be in his shoes, especially as he has already been revealed to be one of the "spongers" the government dislikes? His outpouring of emotion on an intimacy starved Ruth earns him a predictable but eventually costly reciprocation.

The parallels keep pouring in as this elegant elegy for times gone by becomes almost too much to bear. Lenny is trying to resurrect ghosts (his musical career, his marriage to Marian) while Marian is consistently haunted by one. Curiosity forces Marian to dig further into Lily's private life, heating up an exchange between spirit and human in which both actresses shine and both personalities' resemblances strengthen.

Without going into too much more detail, it's not stretching things to say that it's quite possible Lily doesn't want Marian in the house because she doesn't want her own life, which she has many regrets over, to be lived out all over again on the same premises. Lily, who lived through a war, waited for the troubles to "do away with her" - but they wouldn't. She had to live on. Like the four humans in the play must live on, albeit with a newly discovered, unpredictable, but undeniably unifying bond.

It is said that a home is full of love and dreams; this house has fallen bricks and beams. Whether anything will amount from the resurrected humanity in the place is anyone's guess. But the overall effect of everything leading up to that point is testament to the strength of the script and acting in the penetrative, penitent Pentecost.

Pentecost runs until Saturday, October 18 in Belfast's Lyric Theatre.

MUSIC REVIEW: Club MTV Night, Derry-Londonderry

You've heard the expression, "the morning after the night before".

Well, Saturday September 20 2014 is a case of the night after the night before, as thousands of weary but happy folk trudge into Derry-Londonderry's Ebrington Square for another dose of MTV.

This time, it is the Club DJs' turn, on a night which feels more summery than the preceding one. Cast in bright blue sky with a handful of clouds in sight, the Foyleside setting and whippy breeze promises an equally breezy and almost certainly boisterous evening in the company of tantalizing turntables and flashy flat screens. The face paint, headbands and overall attitudes of a largely teenage audience are as colourful as the stage lights themselves.

Fists pump and heads bob as Varski & R3wire excitedly set the scene, dusk settles and main opening act Daniel "DJ Fresh" Stein gears himself up. Not quite fresh faced, nor anything like the Fresh Prince, he instead freshens faces by striking the right beats at just the right times.

Positively Macklemorean in parts, with the colourful language of Messy MC to go with it, DJ Fresh's collection of recognisable samplings, sparky sonics and flashy computer graphics storms and steams off the stage, creating an outdoor techno disco. It's a fitting fusion of the fiery and familiar.

Less distinctive, but more interactive, and certainly much more hyperactive, are Sigma, aka Cameron Edwards and Joe Lenzie. Their presence suits the mood of the night: tempos escalate as quickly as temperatures drop, bar queues increase and voices raise amidst the now pitch black sky. Stage lights spiral everywhere alongside kaleidoscopic imagery and flickering lights.

The perfect time, then, for London-born electronic music duo Chase & Status to make their entrance; and their turbulent techno thumpathon is the icing on the cake for the shouts, selfies, snaps and claps in the audience below them. Club MTV crashes with flashes and bangs: a literal open air nightclub for its new found teenage fan club, and more, to remember.

(The original version of this review appeared in the Belfast Telegraph on Monday September 22, 2014. It can be read here.)

MUSIC REVIEW: MTV Crashes, Derry-Londonderry

No matter what one's taste in music may be, it's hard to ignore MTV. When the 2011 European Music Awards were staged in Belfast, the commotion created by the likes of Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber was such that even those who weren't lucky to attend the event in the Odyssey had their memories, even if they weren't necessarily musical.

Now here we are, back in the open air, at Derry-Londonderry's Ebrington Square, for the 2014 MTV Crashes concerts. Considering the line up at hand on opening night, it genuinely feels less about meeting the mega stars and more about the music. And that is a very good thing. For music is what "Stroke City" is all about in 2014 - Northern Ireland's very own "Music City" is in need of an elevating, electrifying experience. The question surely everyone asks before MNEK takes the stage is, can this supposedly fabulous foursome create the required atmosphere?

MNEK, pronounced M-N-E-K, has the appearance and name of a Nigerian footballer, but tonally channels the drive of De La Soul and the chic of CHIC, with the female backing vocalists to go with it. Dressed like a Hawaiian, his loud facade contrasts sharply with a stylish and soulful 1980s hip hop beat, creating a friendly verve that spreads around the growing crowd. That he seems a little more lightweight than his apparent inspirations isn't a bad thing, as both the performer and his catchy choruses are the kind of familial tonic required for a communally warm atmosphere.

The photogenic female foursome Neon Jungle may lack the heartfelt harmonies of Katy B, but they've enough chemistry and excitement to keep the crowd going through the slightly uneasy middle ground of the set list on the night. They are a steady, sultry, solid substitute, a calm prelude to the raving rap of Professor Green.

The 6 ft 2 in tall "professor" is not Eminem, and is hardly in the sort of surroundings where everyone can fully appreciate his lyrics. It matters little. He has the character and invention to compensate, his clever samplings of INXS' "Need You Tonight" and the Beatmasters' "Dub Be Good To Me" bringing back memories. Tied in with MNEK's music, it feels like quite the night for nostalgists as well as the young crowd, who are clearly relishing the booming beats. The female vocalists reveal unexpected versatility in Green's ensemble, if not necessarily from the rapper himself.

By this stage, the night sky is out in full bloom, the on stage lighting (a mixture of reds and whites) is hugely prominent, and smart phones are turning the present-day sightings into future memories. It's the ideal stage for Dutch DJ Afrojack to sign off a solidly satisfying opening to a welcoming weekend of music as only he can, elevating already impressive beats to another level.

(The original version of this review appeared in the Belfast Telegraph on Saturday September 20, 2014.)

Rhys Dunlop And Lauren Coe: Punk Rockers

The stars of Simon Stephens' Punk Rock on their characters, their experiences and the meaning behind the play

Meet William Carlisle, a painfully shy and bright seventeen-year-old boy with something of a "God" complex. He genuinely thinks he's better than everyone else in his Stockport school. An awkward, over-compensatory, nervous, kind, funny and unpredictable soul, William's world will be turned upside down when he falls for new arrival Lilly Cahill from Cambridge.

Lilly herself is far from nervous, but eager to please. She has moved around a lot and finds her new surroundings very welcome. On the outside, Lilly is worldly, cocky, streetwise, opinionated and superior, but inside she hides neediness, loneliness and emotional insecurity. And her very arrival will be the catalyst for the central chain of events in Simon Stephens' Punk Rock.

For almost a month, Belfast's Lyric Theatre has played host to the trials and misadventures of seven confused teenagers at Stockport Grammar School. The tension between William and Lilly, brought to life by Rhys Dunlop and Lauren Coe on their stage debuts, is the nucleus of the play.

Dunlop & Coe, both graduates of The Lir, Ireland's National Academy Of Dramatic Art in Dublin, speak to Si's Sights And Sounds about their roles in and experience of making Punk Rock.

What does Punk Rock mean to you in the context of this play? Personally, I see it as representative not so much of the music, but of the personality that goes into the music; the flip side of good vibrations and teenage kicks.

Rhys Dunlop (William): I agree completely. The children in the play are by no means "punks" but rather share the energy that the music lends itself to. It charges the scenes and play accordingly.

Lauren Coe (Lilly): Definitely. To me, it means anarchy, rebellion, the constant struggle against authority, which is often the main cause of a violent undercurrent in teenagers. It's in these characters' every attitude, vocabulary and the way in which they wear their uniforms. They're trying to carve out an identity for themselves in a world of adults who either show little interest or far too much.

Dunlop: Simon Stephens, the writer, inserted songs into the script for the top of each scene, which really do give a unique dynamic to what follows them. He said he wanted to give audiences the feel of being at a rock concert, and I believe the explosive energy of the music between scenes helps to achieve that.

Coe: Punk Rock is also hugely about hormones. Sex and lust are massive themes within the play, to the point where pent-up desire is almost unbearable, and the action of sex provides some sort of animalistic release from the systems of emotional instability.

How did you decide to approach playing your characters?

Dunlop: Because, to me, the play's text is so good, I found that if you just trust the language and punctuation, then the character takes care of itself. It is often said that character is as character does, or says. I think that rings true for William in Punk Rock.

Coe: Lilly has never had a place to call home, therefore she has no reference point for her identity. So she has created a shield of bravado around her, to feel protected. At one point, she reveals to William that she cuts and burns herself; I spent a bit of time on self-harm forums as research, to get an understanding of the self-harmer's psyche.

But what I found really interesting was that a lot of sufferers said their self-harm wasn't an attempt at suicide, but a way of dealing with emotional pain: coping and surviving. To me, Lilly is a survivor. The animals she uses to describe herself in the play – a wolf, a leopard, a rhinoceros, a gazelle, a cheetah, an eagle and a snake – are all predatory. They survive because they are clever, strong and ferocious, just like her.

Dunlop: Of course, there are also a number of technical obligations regarding preparation; dialect, back story, social & cultural context, to name but a few. Thankfully we explored a lot of this in the rehearsal room. (Director) Selina Cartmell invested a lot of time in creating the world of the play together as an ensemble and sharing our research materials with the group. We also worked with dialect coach Brendan Gunn right from the start of rehearsals, which was massively important.

How do you view the compelling dynamic between William and Lilly in Simon Stephens' script? Having seen and reviewed the play myself (read the review here), I'm convinced that one would struggle to get by without the other...

Dunlop: I think they are very similar in many ways, despite their possible diametric opposition on the social ladder. They see the world through the same frame. William finds an equal in Lilly, someone worthy of his presence, conversation and indeed life. I mean that in a marital sense as opposed to a sacrificial one.

Coe: In the rehearsal process, Selina Cartmell talked a lot about the idea of matter versus antimatter. She asked, were our characters matter (positive) or antimatter (negative)? Lilly knows that William is, in many ways, part of the same "antimatter" tribe as her; explosive and dangerous. He notices her scars. They understand each other within the "academic zoo" of Stockport Grammar School. They both have a contempt for the mainstream and they feed off each other, and need this connection to validate themselves. They are two dangerous energies, and when they collide, it detonates and causes a tragic outcome.

Dunlop: Lilly is the catalyst for all that happens in the play, the kerosene that sets William's journey alight and ultimately causes it to burn out of control. You're right, they do struggle to get by without the other, or at least William does, further evidenced in the play.

Coe: I think Lilly knows she's playing with fire with William. She knows he really likes her, but she can't resist feeding the flame because her own desperate need to feel wanted makes her ask for more. Her flirtations are overt, so it's no wonder that William builds up the confidence to ask her out, thinking she'll say yes.

But, of course, it's not all about William and Lilly. There are five more characters in this Stockport Breakfast Club – bully Bennett, cynical Cissy, sporty Nicholas, idealistic Tanya, and extremely geeky Chadwick. How do you think your characters perceive them?

Dunlop: Intellectually, William acknowledges Chadwick's brilliance, and he is indeed a friend. However, he still positions himself above Chadwick in his head, due to his social background. I think William hates Nicholas, because he's probably everything William wants to be: athletic, good looking and charming, with the power and social position to step in and stop the bullying in the play. William admires and is jealous of the relationship that Cissy and Bennett have. He wants a girlfriend; if he has one, he believes that he will be seen as the alpha male of the group, not Bennett.

Coe: Like William, Lilly has a superiority complex. She seems to have something to say about everyone; she tends to be judgmental. After being at the school for merely a week, she's not entirely sure she trusts Chadwick, nor likes him: "He's not normal". She also says Bennett does her head in, and I don't think she's alone there! But I think that when Bennett becomes increasingly cruel to Chadwick, Lilly feels really bad about judging Chadwick so quickly. She's very contradictory, which makes her a very truthful teenager and really enjoyable to play.

Dunlop: As William free falls through the play, I think he is trying to make his mind up about how he perceives everyone else. He gravitates to and from them all at different points in the play, suggesting a dissociation with the group and arguably society.

Coe: I think Lilly's relationship with the other girls is an interesting one. They have a laugh, but I don't think she would be friends with either of them without the other. Neither of the two girls are exactly Lilly's type of person: Cissy is a girly girl, very bitchy, and Tanya's a bit hyperactive, though I think Lilly admires her kindness. Lilly has a strong sexual chemistry with and physical attraction to Nicholas... in my opinion, Nicholas's level-headedness and normality provide Lilly with positivity, a respite from her own mental health issues.

How challenging have both of you found this, your stage debut?

Dunlop: Massively challenging and equally rewarding. I've been so lucky to work on such an amazing character with and an incredible company. Long may it continue!

Coe: A fantastic experience. It's been really comforting to work with two of my peers from drama college and a cast of other people from our age group. We've had a lot of fun together and I'll miss them a lot. I guess the biggest challenge is the length of the run, and the size of the theatre – you need a massive amount of stamina! Lilly's a very complex creature as well, so there was a lot of problem solving along the way too.

Are you pleased with the reception so far, both from audiences and critics?

Dunlop: It's been great that the play has been received so well. I think this is a really exciting piece of work and fearless programming from Jimmy Fay. I just hope that it gets supported by good houses so that we can earn and ultimately expect new, bold and exciting work like this from now on.

Coe: Responses have been incredible. The play really seems to blast a hole in the centre of people, which I'm sure was Simon Stephens' intent. We've had very vocal audiences too – lots of laughter, applause in random places and even a few "Oh God" cries!

Contemporary theatre is so important to me, as I believe theatre should always be reflecting the present day real world. Hopefully Punk Rock will be a step towards more new writing being programmed in Irish theatres, and drawing new, younger audiences.

Punk Rock runs in Belfast's Lyric Theatre until Saturday September 6 2014, with a special performance featuring a post-show discussion with writer Simon Stephens on Thursday September 4.