DUBLIN THEATRE FESTIVAL 2026: Review: TESTAMENT, The Gaiety Theatre

The theatrical drama of Irish National Opera’s Testament begins long before taking your seat at the Gaiety Theatre. Outside the venue, protestors hold banners condemning the production as blasphemy, a scene strikingly reminiscent of Father Ted’s famous "Careful Now" picket lines. Yet stepping into the auditorium for Dublin Theatre Festival, one realizes that Colm Tóibín’s libretto and Tarik O'Regan’s score are not interested in sensationalism. Instead, they present a raw, human exploration of grief, asking a fundamental question reminiscent of Hamilton's central line: who lives, who dies, who tells a mother's story?

Directed by Rachael Hewer, this chamber opera gives voice to Mary, a figure revered by billions but whose personal trauma as a mother has been systematically buried beneath dogma. The production opens with a haunting physical metaphor: Mary (Sharon Carty) stands with her mouth tightly bound, physically unwrapping the wrappings that have silenced her. What follows is an intimate reclamation of her narrative. In a brilliant directorial choice, Jesus is portrayed by a young child actor, sharply reminding the audience that before the theology, miracles, and martyrdom, this was simply a mother raising and losing her young son.

Francis O'Connor’s set design features a massive, angled overhead mirror, holding "the mirror up to nature" in the truest Shakespearean sense. This mirror reflects the staging from unique angles, while also prominently capturing conductor Elaine Kelly leading the orchestra on stage. Seeing a female conductor literally direct the musical flow above the action reinforces the production's thematic core: women reclaiming control of a narrative traditionally authored by men.

Sharon Carty anchors the performance with emotional clarity, capturing Mary’s profound isolation and internal rage. Her performance renders Mary deeply human and vulnerable, creating an immediate empathetic bridge with the audience. Martha (Deirdre Higgins) echoes her vocal grief with striking presence, while John (David Kennedy) stands out as the strongest male vocalist among the trio of saints, adding formidable dramatic weight.

Tarik O'Regan’s modern score blends traditional chamber intimacy with choral depth and subtle, futuristic electronic textures. Conducted with precision by Elaine Kelly, the music creates an intriguing, atmospheric landscape, even if the repetitive structure inherent to modern chamber opera occasionally slows the dramatic momentum.

To the picketers outside, even voicing Mary's central declaration: "it was not worth it," is sacrilege unheard of. One wonders whether any of them had actually stepped inside to see the production or if they were merely protesting an idea, ironically generating even more buzz and intrigue for the show while echoing that familiar Father Ted scene on the pavement outside. Yet at a focused 75 minutes, Testament holds up a necessary mirror to us all. Stripping away centuries of myth to lay bare the devastating truth of maternal loss, it forces a single, urgent question: can any higher cause ever justify the pain of a mother losing her child?

 

Reader Reviews

To post a comment, you must register and login.

Get Broadway News on WhatsApp

Receive the latest updates, breaking news, and exclusive coverage from Broadway directly in WhatsApp.