EXPLORING THE LAND WE LOVE
A Play That Transcends Borders
8 THE LOCAL TOURIST
BY ERIN ENGLISH
erin@nitravelnews.com
ON Thursday 25th of August, The Border Game marked its return to the stage for the second consecutive year.
From August 25th until
October 1st, The Border Game will be travelling to theatres across the island on its all-Ireland tour. Beginning the tour in Belfast, I was sure to seize the opportunity to witness the incredible performance in our very own Lyric Theatre.
The Lyric Theatre is a hub of talent, entertainment, and culture. Stepping through into the foyer, the sleek and modern feel of the theatre is further amplified by the buzz of the upstairs bar, located just beside Doors A and B. Making your way up the stairs, the walls are cascaded with portraits completed by Colin Davidson, a Northern Irish artist, be sure to keep an eye out for some of the home-grown talent captured within some of these portraits on your journey towards the auditorium. The Lyric Theatre’s bar area is incredibly refreshing, right from the cold beverages served to the comfortable interiors of the pub. Programmes and other merchandise are lined along the bar, meaning that theatre attendees can decide which performance that they opt to see next!
Stepping into the 389-seat auditorium, the stage design of The Border Game immediately captures your attention. The stage set-up of a customs hut, a broken fence and an upside-down washing machine is enough to raise any
eyebrow but as soon as lights dim and the scene gets underway, the creative prowess of this production is undeniable. The play is a timely and powerful reflection on 100 years of the border and how it has impacted those who live along it. The Border Game combines over 100 anecdotes of real people who live along the border and their experience with the religious, political and personal division. With such an intense topic to tackle, Michael Patrick and Oisin Kearney (award-winning writers known best for My Left Nut and The Alternative) do so with the sharpest of wit and carefully crafted humour.
Immediately the audience are introduced to the two protagonists of the play, Sinead (Cat
Barter), Henry
McBrearty) individuals
and
(Patrick . Two
who live on the opposite side of the
Fermanagh/Leitrim Border. A physical fence marking the border acts as a barrier between both protagonists. However, as the play progresses, viewers learn of the deeper disconnect between Sinead and Henry as a result of both the border, their religious divide and their own emotional exposition as ex-lovers.
The atmosphere that transcends throughout the 90 minute performance is extremely poignant. Alongside Michael Patrick and Oisin Kearney’s script, the performance of Barter and McBrearty commands the stage. The duo portray such a raw and moving script with the upmost of grace, dignity and quips of local
humour. Not to mention the play is a unit set, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves into the dialogue and depth of the story.
The play which follows a conversation between Sinead and Henry as they mend the broken fence between the border. An action which mimics the hopeful mending of their own fractured relationship. Patrick and Kearney humanise the border with these two characters, reiterating that the Border isn’t just a political alignment of land but also a symbol of the interpersonal relationships of those who inhabit each side.
The Border Game is a thought- provoking play, one that has the ability to raise questions about the border, and how it both unites and divides those who live along it. The Border Game has a fine-tuned ability to capture the raw emotion of local history through nostalgic conversation and quips between two ex-flames. A performance of The Border Game is not one to miss! • The Border Game is showing in the Marketplace Theatre, Armagh on September 7th, • Roscommon Arts Centre – September 13th • Garage Theatre, Monaghan – September 15th • An Tain Arts Centre, Dundalk – September 17th • Hawks Well Theatre, Sligo – September 21st • An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny – September 23rd and 24th • The Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick – September 27th and 28th • Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda – October 1st
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