PUBLIC REVIEW

Society: UCD Musical Society

Production: Our House

Credits: Madness & Tim Firth

Venue: Astra Hall, UCD

Adjudicator: Tony McCleane-Fay

Date Attended: 26 February 2020

This way, Madness lies…

UCD Musical Society staged Our House, the musical by Tim Firth based on the
songs of London ska group Madness, in the Astra Hall in February this year. Self-
confessed musical theatre novice, Suggs - the main signer with the band, agreed for
the band’s music to be raided by Mr Firth to create the show in 2002 and even
starred in a few productions as the hero/anti-hero’s Dad. It’s a peculiar show, with
elements of the film Sliding Doors, where we follow the lead character, Joe, and the
two diverging paths he takes in life; one honest the other, dishonest.

Directed by Roy Geary, assisted by Caoilfhionn Ní Dhúlaing, who was also Chorus
Mistress with musical direction by Hannah Reilly and choreography by Lauren
Dooley; this was a fun-filled show with a talented bunch of performers and some
clever quick-change effects. The set was a platform stage with three doors upstage
and two smaller platforms downstage right and left. A further narrow platform
upstage overlooking the stage was effectively used as a higher playing area and
furniture and props were brought on and off as needed. Jody Trehy’s sound was
excellent with good balance between band, situated at stage right, and singers.
Lighting by Tim Coyne was a bit haphazard and not well-cued but well done to the
cast who found their light when needed. Stage management by Ada McDonagh was
very good with very quick transitions thanks to the crew and it was a very slick show.

In the lead was Peter Richardson who played Joe. This was a very difficult role
necessitating very quick changes not just of costume but character. Joe is out on a
date with his new girlfriend, Sarah, when he takes her into a building site. Romantic
eh? But as he’s only sixteen, forgivable. The cops arrive to investigate and this is
where the split occurs. One Joe stays and takes his medicine, the other runs away.
Thus, the diverging storylines, as we follow one Joe who falls into criminality and the
other who ends up in prison and struggles to get a career hampered by a criminal
record, over a period of seven years. Mr Richardson excelled as both sides of the
same character. As ‘bad’ Joe, he had a sneering obnoxious quality, not believing in
anything but his own pleasure and invulnerability; as ‘good’ Joe, he showed a caring
side, particularly for his mother and Sarah and a willingness to right the wrongs of his
past. Mr Richardson also sang exceedingly well on “Rise and Fall” and “It Must Be
Love” with Sarah and “Simple Equation” with Dad.
Rory Sheehy played Dad in a superb performance full of regret and longing and
desperation to help Joe and his mother. His opening number “Simple Equation” and
its subsequent reprises were beautiful and heartbreakingly sung by Mr Sheehy. He
loomed over a lot of the action like a flawed guardian angel, full of angst and sorrow.
He sang with a few characters, most notably Sarah on “N.W. 5”. Sarah was played
by Niamh McGowan and she was perfectly cast in the role. Her Sarah had a very
mercurial morality, standing by ‘good’ Joe as best she could but also marrying ‘bad’
Joe, seduced by wealth and status. She sang well on “It Must Be Love” and
“Tomorrow’s Just Another Day” with Joe and “N.W. 5” with Dad. As Joe’s Mum,
Kath, Laura Fleming was great. She had a gentleness befitting the maternal nature
of Kath and sang and danced with effectiveness and good ability. Ms Fleming had a
strong presence in the role and the audience were visibly upset when she came to a
sticky end in one of Joe’s realities.

‘Bad’ Joe hooked up with local gangster, Reecey, who was played by Aisling Benson
in a role usually played by a guy. Ms Benson had a fine alto and sang Reecey’s
songs with ease, particularly “Shut Up” and “Baggy Trousers” with the Joes. Her
strong physicality and pointed stare added to the character’s danger. Joe also
worked with an unscrupulous property developer Mr Pressman, played with an
unconscious menace by Pádraic Ó’Brolcháin in a fine, still performance.

We also followed the fortunes of Joe’s school fiends, Emmo and Lewis; played
respectively by Michael Bergin and Cormac Gilligan. Mr Bergin developed a great
character, his Emmo was clearly intellectually wanting but with a bright sense of
comedy and a quirky physicality. Mr Gilligan’s Lewis was equally adept at comedy
and his timing was excellent. Both also sang with gusto on “Driving in my Car” with
Joe, Sarah, and Sarah’s friends Billie and Angie. As Billie, Alice O’Loughlin Kennedy
was hilarious. She had superb comic timing and sang well as did Clíona Nic
Shuibhne’s Angie. All four character’s journey’s over the seven years were well
plotted and quite believable.

The music of Madness is very danceable and it was no surprise that there was
extensive choreography in this show. Directed and created by the show’s
choreographer Lauren Dooley, most of the routines were extremely well-drilled and
executed with a high-spirited panache. The big opening number “Our House” was
excellent as was the Las Vagas sections and the smaller numbers were super. I
liked the opening pas de deux and that the show closed with Joe and Sarah and his
Mum and Dad waltzing on the small platforms. Intelligent, fun, high energy and at
times poignant choreography from Ms Dooley.

Musical director, Hannah Reilly’s band were very visibly moved by the music, we
could see them at stage left, almost dancing as they played the infectious tunes. Ms
Reilly’s arrangements were great, the brass was very present, particularly Chloe
McNamara’s sax and Henry Start’s trumpet especially on the more ska-oriented
numbers like “Night Boat to Cairo”. Drums and bass kept everything pulsing along
and the keys and guitar added melody to a very fine interpretation of the score.
Caoilfhionn Ní Dhúlaing’s choral work with the ensemble was also exceptional. She
managed to get some beautiful harmonies on “Wings of a Dove” and “The Sun and
the Rain” and “Our House” rang out with power and delicacy.
Costuming on this show, even though most of it is contemporary, is quite tricky. The
actor playing Joe must have some very quick changes between characters. Bebhinn
Hunt-Sheridan created two very different looks for Joe, one black-clad the other
white. The ‘good’ Joe costume tore away offstage to become ‘bad’ Joe very quickly
and vice versa. Excellent work. Make-up by Nino Tsereteli and Sadhbh Geoghegan
was suitable for the era and well-applied.

Director Roy Geary created a very good version of this somewhat difficult musical.
The splitting of the two Joes and their re-uniting was brilliantly done and his staging
of the whole show on the platform with very little set was excellent. His work with the
actor’s intentions was also admirable; Dad’s frustration and helplessness was
palpable; Joe’s duel personality was expertly directed and Sarah’s realisation of what
‘bad’ Joe had become was emotional. His work with the ensemble was also really
effective, the performers were fully invested in the show and their energy and
commitment to character and to telling the story jumped off the stage. The vocals
and band were beautifully harmonised and we all left the theatre singing snatches of
various Madness songs. A great show, wonderfully produced.

Tony McCleane-Fay
February, 2020.