Sunday, October 15, 2006

Exiles

Went to see James Joyce's one and only play 'Exiles' last night at the National Theatre (Cottosloe). Although I was not in the mood for theatre and feeling quite resistant at the outset, it proved to be very engaging. It's also very illuminating if you're interested in 'Ulysses'. Now, I'm a 'Ulysses' lover rather than a Joyce fan, it's my favourite book in the world. The themes of betrayal in marriage, freedom in love, writer's complex relationships with their lovers, even Ireland's future in Europe, are all common to both works. And the closing lines from the mouth of the key female protagonist reflecting on the blooming of love in youth link the two works.

The role of Robert Hand, the journalist counter-part to the literary writer, was played really well by our old friend Adie Dunbar. We hooked up with him after the performance in the green room. Crossed an actor from Theatre de Complicite going in. Had a chat with Peter MacDonald who played Richard Rowan and a brief brush with Dervla Kirwan (of Ballykissangel) who was Bertha, the Molly Bloom-related character.

Adie was shagged from two performances in the day so drove him home, listening to his first LP 'Two Brothers' - he's also a fine singer, having performed, for example, with Brian Kennedy, and memorably at Sherry and John Keegan's wedding (Wild Mountain Thyme). The soft, swirling celtic country vibe provided a fine soundtrack to nocturnal London on a lively Saturday.

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