Issue drama can be worthy, earnest evening, plugging a cause but Under the Lights by Maria Connolly, which premiered at The MAC this week, is none of those things. It’s a rugby drama, dramatic as anything that occurs in the Six Nations, and is touring after finishing at the MAC on February 22.
What is really clever about this one man show is the way dramatist Connolly, also an actor which helps, gives ninety per cent of the play to the excitement of rugby, only about ten per cent at the end to her cause, the need for assessment of head injuries on the pitch. So we meet Josh Blair (John Travers), in rugby kit, telling us how he graduated from a sporting no-hoper via arm wrestling prowess to a star rugger player. The early scenes are entertaining, particularly when he beats big Russian Boris. If I have one tiny criticism of Travers’ performance, which is a tour de3 force, it involves his accents. The Russian is good but it overlaps with his teacher Mr Walsh’s supposed Scottish brogue.
We follow Blair’s progress to becoming one of the star players and relish his first try. He is finally playing under the lights in an evening match vital to his team. Unfortunately or tragically as it turns out, Blair sustains a head injury during a physical encounter and we’re reminded that rugby can be a dangerous game. In fact, Josh’s mum – again, a nice delineation from Travers, says she’s fearful and wants him to be careful. The injury proves serious but Josh Blair isn’t offered an immediate assessment which would have seen him go to hospital sooner. En route, Josh sees everyone crying and wonders what is going on. Then he sees another light. What was particularly touching was the way Connolly finally allows his mum to say ‘I love’ you out loud to her son, something she was hesitant about doing during the match for fear of embarrassing him.
Catch this drama if you can, and don’t worry about the issue taking over, although it is of course important and given due weight by the final curtain. Stephen Kelly directed with finesse and brio.
Jane Hardy
Under the Lights travels to Ards Arts Centre on February 26, Marketplace Theatre, Armagh, on the 27th, Down Arts Centre on the 28th and Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, on March 1.
