Bridget Ori and Sean Irvine in The Irish Pub Play | Photo by Nate Colitto
Director Ziggy Schulting’s program note tells us—despite what we may have read to the contrary, despite all the references and colourful slang—The Irish Pub Play isn’t about Ireland. And, yes, it is more expansively human than than that; but make no mistake, the Irish vibes are crucial here. Grounded by Sophie Ann Rooney’s playfully evocative production design—featuring a Celtic cross, roughhewn bar and an entire wall of framed Guinness portraits—abundant pub culture permeates The King Black Box space. “The Troubles,” though never dwelt upon explicitly, figure prominently into the Ó Súilleabháin sisters’ family history. And those accents are as thick and heavy, Lord Jesus, as the gloriously earthy sweaters!
An original version of Aurora McClennan’s play, then titled A Goat, A Ghost, and A Guinness, was produced in May of 2024; this newest incarnation is the result of some dramaturgical tailoring by Schulting, Rooney and Grisha Pasternak, so authorship credit for The Irish Pub Play is shared with The King Black Box team. As The Glory of Living and Girls Unwanted demonstrated, TKKB has made that cozy venue their own. This final production of their inaugural season further bolsters their reputation for intimate, immersive and raw theatre.
Though this is considerably lighter than earlier work, the actors inhabit the space with the same convincing familiarity. The audience, surrounding the action and seated on mismatched furniture and covered straw bales, is able to fill in details of the world with our imaginations, making The Goat of Arms a very lived-in place. Though there is a story here, it takes a while for it to solidify. We are guests in the pub, nursing drinks while the antics unfold, trying to get a read on the situation and savouring the time spent with these vivid, endearing characters.
We open on a snoring layabout, his undershirt sporting a revolting array of unidentified stains. Knocked off his bar stool, he immediate pisses in the corner. This is Donnell, embodied with drunken, sloppy carnality by Michael Delaney. I have to confess, his whole messy, freewheeling deal has a certain squalid sex appeal I get. I can understand Maura’s (Megan Miles) attraction. Perky Canadian tourist, Taylor (Jenna Brown), also wants in on that wastrel charisma. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
There’s an urn unceremoniously plopped on the bar and subjected to all manner of indignities, from cigarette ashes to shots of whiskey. This is the remains of the Ó Súilleabháin sisters’ Grand Uncle Cian. As Gráinne (Bridget Ori) and her husband Lorcan (Sean Irvine) try to wrangle the gathered group and prep the pub for a respectful celebration of his passing; the beer flows, griefs and resentments get tossed about, romantic entanglements unravel and re-knit. Bláithín (McClennan), flask clasped tightly as she struggles with an alcohol problem, is a volatile, confrontational antagonist to almost everyone, pushing away the man who loves her, Nat (Zach Parsons). Adam Marley’s Rhys, recently broken up with his girlfriend, tends bar while carrying a flame for Maura—a painfully open secret.
When Newfoundlander Taylor shows up with some revelations that tie her to the family, a long-running feud comes more sharply into focus.
An eerie motif that grounds this rambunctious gathering is a quick, distinctive thump that punctuates any mention of someone who has died. Though it might just be some ancient plumbing, everyone sort of knows it isn’t. In their family mythos, this is a ghost that inhabits the century-old pub. Rather than frightening anyone, it’s a comforting little nod towards the continuance of human bonds. This poignant theme resonates throughout—despite the heartache and harsh words, a deep and steadfast affection remains.
Mostly hilarious, there are several fully-earned, tender moments that hit hard. On the whole, we feel privy to an authentic, private happening. The verisimilitude this company achieves is especially stirring given the close proximity to the actors. This pays off in a particularly potent and infectious sense of camaraderie as the boisterous ensemble launches into Irish folk songs.
The Irish Pub Play is great fun and another solid offering from a company that has hit the ground running.
The Irish Pub Play
running March 27 to April 13, 2025
The King Black Box (1224 King Street West, #300, 3rd floor)
running time: 2 hours (with intermission)
Aurora McClennan, Zack Parsons and Sean Levine (top); Adam Marley, Michael Delaney and Jenna Brown (bottom) in The Irish Pub Play | Photos by Nate Colitto