I enjoyed the previous plays I've seen at the Bridge Theatre, and I enjoyed the previous play by Martin McDonagh which I saw, so I thought that it would be worth seeing McDonagh's new play, A Very, Very, Very Dark Matter.
It was . . . . interesting.
It features Hans Christian Andersen (Jim Broadbent), Charles Darwin Dickens, and his foul-mouthed wife and children, a pair of dead, time-travelling Belgians, and a one-legged Congolese woman in a box.(Johnetta Eula'Mae Ackles)
I think it's making points about Colonialism, (and sexism), and the lack of acknowledgement of it by the literary greats of the day, but it seems to be rather hit and miss - it's funny, and (intentionally) offensive, and the set is intricate and very Goth, but over all, I was left feeling that the play was a bit incoherent, and not quite as clever as it thinks it is.
So - an entertaining 90 minutes, but not a play I'd want to see a second time.
I admit it, I mostly booked this because it stars Aidan Turner, and I have happy memories of him as vampire Mitchell in BBCs 'Being Human', although I did also enjoy the previous Martin McDonagh play I saw, The Cripple of Innishmaan, so it was definitely something to look forward to!
The play premiered in 2001, and is set in the early 1990's, and is a blackly comic take on terrorist violence.
Aidan Turner is 'Mad' Padraic, unwelcome in the IRA because he is too violent, and facing the wrath of his INLA comrades, as his habit of attacking drug dealers is causing them funding problems. When we first meet him, he is in the process of torturing James (Brian Martin), who is suspended by his ankles, having already lost 2 toenails, and facing the imminent loss of his 'least favourite' nipple. They are interrupted by a phone call from Padraic's father, Donny (Dennis Conway), breaking the news that Padraic's beloved cat, Wee Thomas, is ailing..
Padraic immediately collapses with grief, and pausing only to take some advice about cat-care, and to recommend that James gets to hospital to avoid his injuries becoming infected , and rushes home to Innishmore to be with Wee Thomas, and to deal with those responsible for his unfortunate condition.
It's worth noting that all things considered, James comes out of this better than many...
It's very bloody, and incredibly funny (even Mr Turner lost it for a moment), AND has a real cat on stage (who, sadly, does not get a photo or biography in the programme)
If you are in London or can get there, go. It's great. (It's on until 8th September )
(some photos from the show on its twitter feed, here, and video trailer here)
