The Belfast International Arts Festival is a crucible of new writing this year and The Upside Down House is a rip-roaring example. Ciaran Haggerty’s play looks at first love through the decay of his grandmother’s old home. Stranded in the house and stranded in memory, two men relive their first passion in a way that’s touching, relatable, funny at times, and sad at others.
It starts with the excellent Shaun Blaney as Older standing outside the soon to be demolished house, drawing. There’s a long pause then he enters the property. The set is complicated and this production should win an award for the best use of plastic sheeting. Later on, the couple shimmy, make love underneath, agitate the material. But at the beginning, Blaney and the also brilliant Colm McCready(Younger) relive their first encounter. McCready is a ball of energy and old film references, saying in accent he relies on the kindness of strangers. Appalled Blamey doesn’t know the Streetcar reference – his love interest doesn’t watch movies – McCready who steals the first kiss, takes them back to the beginning.
Time is flexible, with episodes then and now mixed in, and the revelations of a past rejection hit home. Older snubbed Younger because a bully and his posse spotted them together. McCready disappears and it isn’t until much later that Blaney confesses his love.
There are some great lines such as ”We’re West Belfast Catholics, we always feel somebody is watching us.” Which Younger offers as Older exhibits modesty and a bit of paranoia about being spied on. This is after all a secret relationship with Blaney disguising his true feelings via a relationship with a female student at school.
Tinderbox have a reputation for innovative drama and this is a good example. It explores the strength and hesitancy of one’s initial experience of love in a tender, yet sexy manner. If the extreme physicality of clambering round the old house seems a little ott, the acting and writing are spot on. Patrick J. O’Reilly has directed the play with good attention to detail.
Jane Hardy
Photos: Carrie Davenport
