Peter Kowitz, Ian Meadows, Robert Menzies and Greg Stone in The Weir; Photo Jeff Busby
The play opens in a rural Irish pub with Brendan (Ian Meadows) who is cleaning his own bar before the clients arrive. The first client is Jack (Peter Kowitz), a car mechanic and garage owner, who is desperate to drink a Guinness beer perfectly served by Brendan, in the typical Irish style. The two men discuss their respective days and are soon joined by Jim (Robert Menzies), an intriguing character difficult to describe. The three talk about a pretty young woman from Dublin who has just rented an old house in the area, whose name is Valerie (Nadine Garner) and how Finbar (Greg Stone), a businessman who has a shared upbringing with them, is busy ‘showing’ Valerie the small town.
Their conversation is interrupted with the arrival of Valerie and Finbar. Then, Jack, Jim, and Finbar reminisce, generating the kind of banter that only comes about between men who hunt a pray, in this case Valerie. While Brendan does not speak much, his presence is strong as he silently passes judgments.
After a few drinks, the group begin telling stories with a supernatural slant, related to their own experience or those of others in the area, and which arise out of Irish folklore: ghosts, fairies and mysterious happenings. The story told by Jim is quite disturbing and produces a tension in the audience who is waiting to hear the end, yet the audience is not the only part affected, Valerie seems worried and no one knows why.
The silence is broken when Valerie confesses the reason why she has left Dublin. Her story is heart breaking, melancholy and undoubtedly true. Suddenly, the ghostly stories told by Jack, Jim and Finbar become a fairy tale in comparison to her heartfelt confession. At the end, there is a ghostly twist in her narrative, which echoes the earlier tales, and shocks the men who become softer, kinder, and more real.
The Weir is about memories that mark our life and our re-encounter with them. It is also about the close relationship that we maintain between our adulthood and the place where we were born, as well as the memories held there, in the place that we once called home. The Weir outlines story-telling traditions and the distortion of these stories.
The acting is impeccable and every character is well balanced in the play, to the point where it only takes a few minutes to completely engage with them. In addition the set simulates perfectly an Irish Pub and invites the audience to enjoy the happiness and sadness of a group of people gathered in a bar.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
The Weir
Written by Conor McPherson
Directed by Sam Strong
Set and costume designer Dale Ferguson
Stage Manager Christine Bennett
Cast Peter Kowitz, Ian Meadows, Robert Menzies, Greg Stone, Nadine Garner
