There are two ways of coming to Who Is Fergus Kilpatrick. If you read the play’s initial subtext or come to it blind, this play is a feature about an historical Kerry rebel that veers off mid way, playing tricks with you for the rest of the time until you get comfortable with the tricks being played and accept that it is a play that’s questioning reality.
Or you can read into it a bit further and know in advance that it’s a play about the philosophy of reality and with that comfort, enjoy the entertainment and comedy that is offered in the process of its analysis.
I confess I came to it blind and my head hurt by the end but the question that I’m still trying to figure out is which of these two audiences are the producers trying to reach? Maybe a bit of both, and naturally there are advantages and disadvantages to coming at it from either angle.
The production constantly play with what you think is going on, mixing acting with video footage, documentary footage, staged audience laughter, interviews with the cast, photograph montages, live video recording, repetitions, etc.
The first divergence from the norm was the most uncomfortable for me because it was all cringe, with actors messing up delivery and staged laughter, and you don’t know if the whole thing is dying a death because we don’t know how we’re supposed to be reacting. In retrospect you know it’s all staged that way, and although all the plays on reality after that became gradually less awkward and more anticipated you’re always left wondering what’s going to come next.
Who Is Fergus Kilpatrick won the Absolut Fringe 2009 Spirit of Fringe Award and was one of the Irish Times Theatrical highlights of 2009. The play didn’t grasp me like I’ve seen it has in other reviews but if you like a bit of novelty, it’s not bad value.
Who Is Fergus Kilpatrick will perform from 13 to 24 April 2010 downstairs in the Project Arts Centre at 8.15pm. Tickets cost €15/€12, with an early bird offer of two tickets for €20 on 13, 14 & 15 April. On Mon 19 April a post-show discussion will take place with cast and crew.