Saipan Summer

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Witty characters

Just when you thought it had eventually died down and that the hatchet was firmly buried between the two warring sides, 'Saipan Summer' springs to life on the boards of Andrew's Lane Studio.

No explanation about where the subject matter for this play is drawn from is necessary, as a mere mention of Saipan immediately conjures up images of Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy at loggerheads and the country's population firmly split down the middle in their allegiances. Did he walk out or was he sent home?

Refreshingly, Declan O'Brien's 'Saipan Summer' doesn't go for yet another skit on the principal characters in the debacle; it focuses instead on the divide the sporting controversy caused among the common folk - the soccer fans who saw that there could be no winners in the whole sorry mess.

Dubs Neil (Fleming), Des (Beausang) and Barry (Baker) have been friends since their school days - played football together, eyed the girls together and sat side-by-side on their high stools at the local, Broderick's, together. Somewhere along the line - nobody seems sure exactly when - gormless culchie Morris Moynihan, affectionately known as Mulch (McMahon), joined the gang.

The play offers both a snapshot of the four men's lives during the summer of 2002, and various flashbacks which enlighten us as to how each one of them got to where they are today (complete with memories of all their favourite games played by the men proudly donning the green jerseys).

We are also introduced to the women in their lives: the love of Barry's life, the sharp-witted Margaret (Mulholland), and her best friend, Philomena Costelloe, (Dunne), who makes all of the men weak at the knees. Their much tormented barman, Buster (Roche/Treanor), also makes several appearances during their many trips to the local, providing us with some of the funniest scenes of the play.

While each of the characters are stereotypes, some even caricatures, they are as witty and engaging a bunch as you could hope to find enjoying a bit of banter in your local after a match, each with their own very particular peculiarities. Des is the hot-headed one, who loves getting the upper hand, while Neil loves nothing more than winding him up. Barry is the level-headed everyman and Mulch gladly plays the role of everybody's fool, while secretly wiping their eyes.

'Saipan Summer' is another fine production from Gaslaugh (in association with Parnassus Arts Group), a wonderful farce - complete with witty characters, a pacey script and great one-liners. The acting from all involved is always committed and enthusiastic, really getting to the core of the different personalities and what makes them tick, with the asides of the narrator really drawing the audience in.

And no, you don't have to know anything about football to enjoy this. Even if you've never heard of the off-side rule, Stuttgart, or indeed the Saipan affair (or have been living on Mars for the past couple of years), you won't be able to help laughing at this display.

Linda McGee