An Taibhdhearc, Galway
May 9, 2025
The sign of a good foreign language film is that you tend to forget you are reading subtitles. With the work of De Sica, Rosselini, Godard and Haneke, the language barrier is rarely a problem, such is the audience’s absorption in the story. You could say the same for An Cailín Ciúin, the Oscar-nominated Irish language film.
In terms of theatre, I have been to very few plays with surtitles, so I have little to compare Dathanna Geala Amháin (Bright Colours Only ) to. One could argue that because I do not speak Irish, a lot of the content went over my head, but this was not the case with the last play that I went to see as Gaeilge: Fibín's 2023 production of Grindr, Saghdar agus Cher. That felt bold, provocative, emotional and fresh. Sadly, the same could not be said for Dathanna Geala Amháin, which feels a bit tired and dated.
The concept of inviting an audience to take part in a funeral is certainly inventive, and it may have been revolutionary when Bright Colours Only debuted almost 25 years ago; but at this stage, Irish plays about wakes have been done to death. Off the top of my head, I can think of three that have the actual word in the title: Wake, The Wake and A Wake in the West. I am sure there are dozens more.
Moreover, it surprises me that so many writers and theatre-makers persist in creating shows that involve audience participation. They fail to understand that it terrifies the vast majority of audience members. It often ruins the entire experience, as you are left dreading the prospect of being pulled out of your seat.
Brídín Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh ultimately drags Dathanna Geala Amháin over the line. She is charming, charismatic and has great command of the stage, although you feel that the script holds her back in parts. She has to work incredibly hard to win over the audience, but manages to do so with class.
The most poignant moment arrives when the protagonist recounts the day her father died. Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh plays it beautifully, but it arrives too late, and feels out of sync with the rest of the play.
People who speak our native tongue may be able to enjoy this production on a whole other level, but for those of us who (much to our shame ) do not, I ended up feeling like I had just spent most of the time reading.
Yet, there is a certain pride that comes with experiencing a play in the Irish language. Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh gives a joyful performance, which makes for a pleasant evening. The ending, which I do not wish to spoil, proves to be a very different theatrical experience.
Dathanna Geala Amháin tours nationally until May 24th. For more information, see www.antaibhdhearc.com
