This one-man play explores the issue of family feuding, which has been a serious problem in recent years among the traveller community in Ireland. The central character, Peter (Michael Collins), gets a call asking him to engage in a bare-knuckle 'fair fight' with his best friend, Paul, who happens to be in a rival clan, to settle an old feud that was re-opened in a drunken argument among other members of both families.

Mobile is the second play by Traveller Wagon Wheel Theatre, who also explored travellers' issues in the 2005 Dublin Fringe play A Cultural Thing or Is It? A Traveller in Progress. This new play is based on material gained through joint workshops and has been played in front of traveller audiences before its showing at Dublin Fringe 2007.

The whole play consists of Peter's conflicted feelings towards taking part in the fight, interspersed with reminiscing about his childhood friendship with Paul. The memories give entertaining glimpses into the detail of traveller life, providing relief from the intensity of the main issue at hand - while still being relevant to the story.

If Peter takes on the fair-fight, he will be perpetuating a decades-old feud, may be injured and is likely to lose one of his closest friends. If he declines, he will be seen for ever more as a weakling and the feud may continue anyway, using lethal weapons rather than the traditional fair-fight.

Tension builds as he sways back and forth between the two options. The hands-off attitude of the Irish police to traveller feuding leads to one of his most devastating conclusions - if someone from the rival clan was to attack his family in the future, the police would be no use and he would depend for his security on the rest of his own clan - the same people who want him to fight. His eventual decision is left open, but this failure of the state to deal with the problem appears to point to Peter being left with no choice but to fight.

Michael Collins is convincing and his character evokes sympathy throughout the 90 minutes. The script explores the issue well, while retaining all the ingredients of good drama.

Cast Credits: Michael Collins - Peter.

Company Credits: Script - Michael Collins. Director - Mick Rafferty. Script Co-Ordinator - Catherine Joyce. Sounds / Light - Mick Rafferty / Jimboy Reilly. Stage Manager / Production - Patricia McCarthy. Company - Traveller Wagon Wheel Theatre.

END

(c) Colman Higgins 2007

reviewed Thursday 13 September 07 / Dublin

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008