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A Man of No Importance

Published Friday 13 November 2009 at 11:20 by Paul Vale

In sixties Dublin, everybody knows that bus conductor Alfie Byrne is passionate about amateur theatre, poetry and particularly Oscar Wilde. The love he has for Robbie, the young, handsome bus driver, however, remains a secret until Alfie decides to mount a production of Salome, opening a whole new can of worms for this Catholic, working-class community.

Based on a 1994 independent film starring Albert Finney, this musical adaptation taps into a whole gamut of both musical theatre and Irish cliches, and still manages to come across as utterly charming.

The movie itself is a hidden gem and in an age where blockbusters are taking to the musical stage, this stands as a timely reminder that there is more to adaptation than jukebox tunes and maximum volume. Terrence McNally delicately weaves the story through the comi-tragic twists and turns, complemented by Lynn Ahrens’ earthy lyrics. Stephen Flaherty’s score is comfortable rather than cerebral and in this case, it is exactly what’s needed.

Director Ben De Wynter has brought together a strong ensemble who inhabit their roles with conviction. Paul Clarkson is adorable as Alfie, handling the complexities of character and Alfie’s journey of self-discovery with dignity and style. The role of Carney is a difficult one to pull off without lapsing into caricature and Paul Monaghan captures it perfectly. Patrick Kelliher as Robbie and Roisin Sullivan as Adele are perfectly cast and the score affords them the opportunity of some great songs, particularly Sullivan’s Princess and Kelliher’s rousing The Streets of Dublin.

If there is a problem here it is with the design of the show, which seems to hardly have been given a second thought by the so-called creative team. Restrictions of budget are simply no excuse for lack of imagination and this production is woefully let down by an apparent disregard for such matters, such as curtains that won’t close, shoddy props or costumes that fall apart in dance numbers.

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