Theater Review by Walter Murphy . . .
The Irish play HOTHOUSE, produced by Malaprop Theatre and currently playing at the Irish Arts Center is both sad and silly, while visually entertaining. Facing the existential dread of climate change, the production employs a tactic of addressing the weighty issue with a campy revue that alternates between prophetic and “party on.”
Playwright Carys D. Coburn smartly presents climate change as a parallel to the disintegration of a family: pain, neglect, and abuse carried through generations. She fills the whip-smart dialogue with ideas, contradictions, cultural references, Irish history, wordplay, jokes, and thoughts that should spur action. Or at least thought.
Staging and direction by Claire O’Reilly admirably captures the quick shifts between sad to silly. Birds facing extinction appear as if on a runway, only to be shot dead. A dying whale, strangled by the plastics choking the oceans, sings its swan song after comically removing a looong strand of plastics from its mouth.
On the human side, the plot follows a Dublin family through decades of change and decline, from 1969 through 2011. It is very much an Irish play and touches upon key social points (e.g. the availability of condoms, the shame of unwed mothers, and recent immigration) with the point being made that Ireland has two million fewer people than before the Great Famine—Ireland’s posture that it is currently addressing climate change.
There are numerous Irish references that may fly by an American audience. For example, I wonder if many in the audience recognized the call out to Mary Robinson, President of Ireland during many of the liberal social changes of the 1990s such as the decriminalization of homosexuality, availability of contraception, divorce (not necessarily related), and the lessening of the Catholic Church’s sway in politics.
The plot finds an arctic cruise ship, the Crystal Prophecy, on its last voyage to view the ice caps that are no longer there due to climate change. Regardless, the cruises continue to be booked by clueless passengers who are aboard for the cruise experience, caring little that the purpose of the cruise is now moot. They are simply glad to be out and about.
The story is narrated by the ship’s captain, who provides a running discourse, body count, and thoughts and actions of the characters. The body count refers to the species of birds and other animals that become extinct during the play’s timeline— 1969 through the 21st century. The captain expresses the thoughts and grudgingly expressed feelings of the family members, acting as a tour guide of the family and planet’s misfortune.
The world is winding down as are the Dublin family members, marked by stasis, despite decades-long warnings, sea level rise, and temperature increase. For instance, alcoholism is passed from family member to member through generations.
Although known to be the last voyage—after not seeing the former ice caps—the ship ironically hits an iceberg and sinks. Its communications procedures are useless, having been long neglected because it was believed the journey would be the ship’s last—so, why maintain them? The ship’s goal (the last voyage) was met, but for the wrong reason—a shipwreck. What other ship sailed from Ireland that was thought to be immune to icebergs? Answer later.
Thankfully, the travelers are saved by penguins. In the final scene, set in the next century, many of societal norms have disappeared: “There are no parents,” but there are adults and children. Children and parents are cared for by adults.
A glimmer of hope is offered by the travelers’ savior: Penguin. “Trust us, life won’t go out. I can’t tell you how, but I can feel the way that I can’t see.”
Recognizing feelings and their importance is one of the key ideas of the story.
The five-member cast, Ebby O’Toole Acheampong, Thommas Kane Byrne, Peter Corboy, Bláithín Mac Gabhann, and Maeve O’Mahony, is excellent, exuberant, and electric. Kudos all around. Each shared multiple roles and costume changes. Set and Costume Design (Molly O’Cathain ) are also excellent, particularly in the campy numbers used during the introduction of the characters. Songs and music by Anna Clock are spot-on, catchy, and cabaret-esque.
In spite of the gloomy prospect of our extinction—and this play is a well-crafted reminder of that fact—many components of the play make for an enjoyable evening. I liked how the staging took the expression “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic” literally. I liked the brief appearance of noted environmentalist Rachel Carson, who announced “I’m a big fat lesbian.” And the final scene reminded me of the True /False style of James Joyce’s “Ithaca” chapter in Ulysses. It uses logic to work through the key issues of the play for the child. A truly revealing play and good craic!
HOTHOUSE. Through November 17 at the JL Greene Theatre in the Irish Arts Center (726 11th Avenue, between West 51st & 52nd Streets). www.irishartscenter.org
Photos: Nir Arieli
