THE TIRELESS Truman Town Theatre are in Campbell’s Tavern, Cloghanover, Headford, this weekend for two performances of their latest hit play, Velvet Revolution, written and directed by Mick Donnellan.
Since making their debut in March of last year with Sunday Morning Coming Down, Truman Town Theatre has toured extensively around Ireland, packing out venues and garnering enthusiastic reviews in the process.
Velvet Revolution is the company’s fourth play to date, all of which have been scripted by Mick Donnellan (“a fresh and original voice in Irish theatre” – Irish Theatre Magazine ) As well as his plays, Donnellan has also written a crime novel, El Niño, which was published earlier this year.
Velvet Revolution is an exciting play shot through with wit, sarcasm, and black humour. Fyodor and Shelly are a young couple living in an un-named town in rural Ireland. Shelly is a beautiful, seductive blonde who torments the insecure Fyodor with her adulterous antics. She constantly alludes to men she met at the bar, past lovers, and the lack of excitement in her marriage.
Fyodor is a struggling writer and he resorts to gambling to escape the torments of his tortured soul. We enter the play at a point where Fyodor has lost a large amount of money and is indebted to dangerous loan shark Kevin.
Shelly has just returned home to announce that she met the same Kevin by chance and took the opportunity to invite him over for dinner. Fyodor is in turmoil over this, sure that it is a plot to kill him.
The drama escalates as the time of Kevin’s arrival draws closer. Fyodor is sure that there is more to Shelly’s story but if so, she is doing anything but admit it. Instead she drinks large brandies, smokes a lot and berates him for his lack of talent, both as a writer and a gambler.
Velvet Revolution is one of Truman Town’s best works to date. With only two actors (Cathal Leonard and Kate McCarthy ), and a minimal set, the play is a feast of tension, humour, and suspense. In short, this is a show not to be missed.
Velvet Revolution is at Campbell’s Tavern this Friday and Saturday at 8pm (doors open at 7.45pm ). Tickets are €10/12 and can be purchased at Campbell’s Tavern any night leading up to the play or by calling 087 - 9422942.
