In this gruesome absurdist comedy, two very different sisters confront both the memories and the reality of an oppressive father. Playwright Meghan Tyler has crafted a darkly humorous work that shocks and amuses in equal measure. Just when you think you have seen everything, she takes the absurdity to yet another level. As in many contemporary Irish plays, this domestic conflict serves as an allegory for the island’s political divisions. Here, however, the message is presented as a wonderfully goofy and gory feast. Fianna, the free-spirited sister, rebels openly against their tyrannical parent (read as Britain). She has even served time in prison and is now linked to the IRA. Allanah, by contrast, obeys and conforms, embodying repression and religiosity as she caters to the demands of her vicious, bedridden father. At first, the sisters seem entirely opposed, but gradually they recognise their shared oppression and unite in an attempt to murder their father. That plan, however, proves ...
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