Reviews

Skyfall is the sort of entertainment audiences have been longing for. And, in the week that we lost the composer of the original James Bond theme, Monty Norman, the show was a fitting tribute to the enjoyment that the film franchise’s songs have given audiences over the decades. Now, when you think of the classic James Bond theme tunes, you think of iconic voices: Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Lulu, Simon Le Bon, Sam Smith, Adele, and others.

A single brilliant red bentwood chair sits centre stage.  Jayne Tuttle descends the stairs, a willowy figure all in black.  She seems at first just a little uncertain – as if she doesn’t quite understand the story that she is about to tell us – or that we won’t understand it.  She’s not her yet; she’s unformed; she’s pretending to be the eponymous Betty Blue, who’s sexy and burns down buildings.  It’s a touching picture and it engages our sympathy straight away. 

Once Upon a Time there was a woman in her prime seeking love and understanding from a “perfect” male, but she found it near impossible. Puppets is a whimsical, and a little woeful, musical/comedy show that explores modern dating, written and performed by Olivia Ruggiero and directed by Carly Fisher.

Irish Theatre Players’ One Act Season is a mixed bag of plays, with something for everyone. The three plays are Dilate, by local writer Yvette Wall, the well-known The Dumb Waiter, written by Harold Pinter and The Plan, by Irish Theatre Players member Sean Byrne.