Kevin Adams and Mick Tinder in ‘An Irish Carol.’ Photo by Mike Kozemchak.
Now becoming a DC holiday staple, An Irish Carol is the Christmas story that brings a wee little saltiness to the endearing holiday tale of a miserable old man who transforms his life just in time for Christmas morning.
Matthew J. Keenan’s playat the Keegan Theatre has a bracing realism that likely not found amongst the holiday fare now playing in the DC area; It’s a Wonderful Life it ain’t. In the classic Irish pint is half-empty look at life, we meet Dublin Pub owner David (Kevin Adams), a man with an eternal scowl and a brusque word for everyone.
An interesting offroad on the Holiday trail.
Middle-aged, wearing the tiredness of life on his every step, he is a bitter man who has managed to drive away all but his most committed customers. While some bar lifers say that he was once a carefree young man who dreamed of seeing the world and once was in love, he ended up devoting his life to the business, one dreary day at a time. But all that is inside now is a tinderkeg of unanswered pain, slowly unleashed by liquid courage.
Christmas Eve is upon us but it finds David doing his best Scrooge impersonation – turning down an invitation for dinner with the family of his younger brother Michael (Mike Kozemchak), telling his kind hearted immigrant bartender Bartek (Josh Sticklin) to be at work first thing on Christmas, and generally being an accurate description of body parts from the colorful collection of acquaintances. There is Jim, a grizzled old friend, played by Director Mark Rhea, who is the dutiful husband kicked out for the night. His long history with Jim adds context and his easy storytelling manner onstage allows us to have a window into David.
As a memory play without the ghostly visits, the show relies on the sharp interplay of Jim and fellow wise man/drunkard Timothy Lynch who does a bang-up boyyo job as Frank, another friend of David’s, who acts as pickled voice of wisdom while providing lewd comments. He gives us a meandering sense of aimlessness and sadness that reflects the entire show, popping in for one-liners here and there. Lynch, as the emotional barometer of the show, exhibits nice range and timing, especially in his solo moment reminiscing on his past.
The impressionist pictures of people running in the rain outline the stage, where inside is expected to be a refuge. Scenic design (Carol Baker and Patrick Lord) cast an eerie backdrop.
Else, it is a slow roll. David stays the same inveterate self until another visitor comes in, an old estranged friend, Richard (Mick Tinder), who married David’s sweetheart oh so long ago. Through fine work and biting dialogue, we finally see the emotional opening for David, the way into his humanity. Sticklin infuses his bartender character with much needed energy and his malaprops of the English language are quite amusing. Other characters provide fine moments under the direction of Mark A. Rhea.
The cast, many of which are returnees, certainly know their paces. And the dialogue is tight and effecting. But the pathos lingers too long to be an effective vehicle. David’s final release comes too late for the show, though Adams’ return to humanity is quite affecting. Not in lockstep with the classic story, the fact that it starts in the pub and stays there, limits the piece to where it later has little place to turn, a sort of Gaelic purgatory, a land of opinions and characters, all awash in memories. Maybe a ghostly leprechaun to add in?
As I said, take it with a dash of salt. An interesting offroad on the Holiday trail.
Running Time: 80 minutes with no intermission.
Advisory: Adult language
An Irish Carol plays from Dec 12 to Dec. 31, 2015 at the Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church Street NW, Washington DC, 20036. For information call 202 265-3767 or to purchase tickets online.
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