Review: Bone

Bone by John Donnelly
Seymour Centre
21st September 2007

What a brilliant idea. Bring the very best of independent theatre productions from the previous year and repackage them as a festival.

When I heard Bone, a new play from young British playwright John Donnelly was featured, I made sure that it was on my list of must see theatre. It doesn’t disappoint.

Three characters are discovered on stage, framed on all three sides by floor-to-ceiling plastic sheets. They face the rear as the lights evoke a huge roaring fire and the crackle of timber surrounds the audience.

This begins what are three intertwined monologues that dive deep into the fire of the soul as each of them retrace personal catastrophes.

Helen (Vanessa Downing) recounts losing not only all her cattle during an outbreak of mad cow disease, but also her husband weighed down by the financial catastrophe. Jamie (Peter Barry) is out on an night with the lads just before his tour of duty to Iraq and Stephen (Ryan Hayward) keeps up appearances in the corporate world as he loses his grip.

It is an astonishing script from a playwright with a voice so clear and crisp you can’t help but anticipate where he will go next.

The direction by Tanya Goldberg is assured and delicately delivered with a brilliant ensemble of actors who display their craft in the most compelling way.