Cyprus Avenue
by David Ireland
Directed by Andy Arnold
27 February 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Belfast loyalist Eric (David Hayman) is convinced that his five week old granddaughter is Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams come to infiltrate his family and overthrow his protestant way of life. As absurd as that seems, Eric is steadfast in his belief, and neither his wife nor his daughter can convince him otherwise. As Eric meets with psychologist Bridget (Jamie Marie Leary) we learn more about his ideology and prejudices, and his fears for the future.
From the outset David Ireland's Cyprus Avenue is shocking. Shocking in the language used, shocking that the repercussions of 'The Troubles' continues to impact people's lives, and shockingly funny. The writing is superb; the dialogue authentic and profane.
Glasgow based Belfast born playwright David Ireland is perfectly placed to understand the sectarian divide and violence that has been commonplace in both cities in the past and that continues to simmer just beneath the surface of everyday life today. And so too in Cyprus Avenue an undercurrent of tension and disquiet runs just below the surface-level hilarity.
The ninety-minute, one act play flies by as we watch Eric spiral into madness. David Hayman is extraordinary as Eric, a man who is both a loving father and a staunch unionist. Hayman is onstage for most of the runtime and does a fine job with the complex book and Northern Irish accent. So understated and believable is his performance that I had no idea the play would end how it did.
The supporting cast are equally as strong: Ann Louise Ross (Bernie), Sinead Sharkey (Julie) and Jamie Marie Leary (Bridget) are the sane voices of reason battling against Eric's delusions; and James Boal is fantastic as local paramilitary maniac Slim. Slim's arrival onstage genuinely unsettled me; his appearance is alarming. But then this character had some of the funniest dialogue and best deadpan delivery I've seen. It's this juxtaposition that makes Ireland's material so good and that so frequently catches the audience off guard.
Directed by Glasgow Tron Theatre’s former Artistic Director Andy Arnold, the action flows seamlessly from the doctors office to Eric's home and back again as Eric relives his past. There isn't a dull moment in the play, and I agree with the decision to run it straight through, without an interval. A break would've diluted the tension.
Cyprus Avenue is undoubtedly a black comedy; the audience were in fits of laughter... until they weren't. Stunned into silence by Eric's drastic actions, Cyprus Avenue is without doubt the darkest, most disquieting play I've ever seen on stage. I laughed, I was frightened, I was shocked. It's brilliant!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes (no interval) | Age restriction: 16+
Writer David Ireland said: “Since it opened in Dublin in 2016, Cyprus Avenue has been performed all over the world - from Australia and Japan to Canada and Brazil. But I’m particularly delighted to see it return to the stage in my adopted home city of Glasgow. I hope audiences in Glasgow will be as shocked, outraged and entertained as the rest of the world has been. But I also expect they’ll understand the play and its central theme - the cost of sectarian violence - better than any audience outside of Northern Ireland.”
Cyprus Avenue CAST
David Hayman (Eric)
Ann Louise Ross (Bernie)
Sinead Sharkey (Julie)
Jamie Marie Leary (Bridget)
James Boal (Slim)
Playwright: David Ireland
Director: Andy Arnold
CREATIVE TEAM
Set & Costume Design: Becky Minto
Lighting Design: Kate Bonney
Sound Design: Niroshini Thambar
Fight Director: EmmaClaire Brightlyn
Costume Supervisor: Victoria Brown
📸 Production photos: Mihaela Bodlovic
📸 Promo image: Gordon Burniston
Cyprus Avenue LISTINGS INFORMATION
Tron Theatre and Trafalgar Entertainment presents Cyprus Avenue
Pavilion Theatre, 121 Renfield Street, Glasgow, G2 3AX
Tuesday 27 February - Saturday 2 March 2024
£17.50 – £29.50 | 7:30pm & 2:30pm matinee on Saturday 2 March
Box office: 0141 332 1846 | www.paviliontheatre.co.uk
REVIEW: Cyprus Avenue, by David Ireland. Starring David Hayman, Glasgow Pavilion Theatre, February 2024
🎟️ Disclosure: I was invited to review this show and received a complimentary ticket in exchange. Neither the venue nor promoter has any say in what I write. I'm completely independent, and whether I am invited or not has absolutely no impact on my reviews or star ratings.
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