The problem with naming Aurora, Prime Cut’s new drama from Dominic Montague, a ‘modern myth’ is that expectations will be as big as the problem addressed, ie the desecration of the planet. In the end, this was simply the tale of 90s eco warrior Swampy updated with our tree hugger and saviour Cass (Meghan Tyler) adding in some magic for good measure. The plot dealt with a Donegal village where a gold mine was presenting material temptation to half the populace, while threatening the landscape and greenery which didn’t please the other half. We didn’t get to meet the villagers in this four hander, but there was a touch of Local Hero about the reports of protests from primal screamers, bikers and an orgiastic group which sounded interesting.
The theme was the fact we’re all interconnected and there were enough epiphanies to please the Church, which interestingly did not play a part in this conflict between protester and State. For the story was updated to include the new anti-protest legislation and we see Cass incarcerated and answering aggressive questioning from Big Sister, played with relish by Maria Connolly. Tree watch, yes, that was its name, was Cass live streaming and chained to the tree, yet there wasn’t a shred of evidence to convict our heroine of anything other than maybe colluding with a tree to make a load of gold vanish.
For gold was the double-edged metaphor, with the mine churning out enough to make the rich richer, a talking Badger revealing that we’re all descended from the same meteors and star stuff (and Carl Sagan’s phrase did make an appearance) and that we should take care of the world to which we are related. So far, so good but at times the message was hammered home. We got the massively important message however via some nice acting by Cass, her brother who was predictably the mine’s PR man (Conor O Donnell) and their old mate Drew (Thomas Finnegan) who found a new, primitive identity.
Our imagination was stretched by one of the most popular figures, the loquacious Badger (again Ms Connolly), an anarcho-communist no less, who believed in joint ownership. As Cass decided to collect donated gold to try and buy the land on which her friend stood, the outcome remained inevitable. Rich men, and the aristocrat who owned the contended plot, join forces no matter how just the opposite cause. We warmed to Tree, although it wasn’t the most aesthetic example of treedom, and thrilled to the aurora borealis that kept apparently appearing. We liked the idea that Cass’ gold disappeared, by ancient magic, and the piled up commercial gold also disappeared, no doubt to benefit people across the land.
It was a hippy fable, and none the worse for that. Emma Jordan directed, and the production was part of the Belfast International Arts Festival.
Jane Hardy
