DUBLIN FRINGE 2026: Review: A RECURRENCE at The Civic

Sophie O’Toole and D’Girlos Theatre Company follow up their breakout success That’s Sooo Povo with A Recurrence, an ambitious, emotionally charged exploration of reproductive autonomy, class, and inherited shame co-produced with The Civic. Spanning three distinct eras: a 1930s tenement in Henrietta Street, a 1990s flat in Fatima Mansions, and a contemporary college setting, the play intertwines three Dublin women navigating unplanned pregnancies under systemic constraint.

What holds the audience on the edge of their seat is the compelling way these stories begin to speak across time. As the narrative progresses, the women echo and learn from each other's choices, turning three isolated crises into an urgent, intergenerational dialogue. While rooted in the specific textures of working-class Dublin, the central question, how a woman confronts an unexpected pregnancy when surrounded by judgment and limited choices, transcends class and location, giving the piece a broad, deeply personal resonance.

O’Toole’s writing gives each character a distinct verbal idiom: Minnie (Erin Murray Boyne) carries a period-inflected cadence; Jasmine (Sophie O’Toole) balances raw grief, queer identity, and vulnerability; and Grace (Ciara Byrne) grounds her thread in modern reference points, from online bookings to the 2018 referendum. Under Trudy Nolan’s direction, Jasmine’s story in particular emerges as the production’s emotional anchor, performed with striking sensitivity.

Where the production stumbles is in its structural discipline and pacing. The early scenes rely on abrupt handovers that cut monologues mid-thought to transfer momentum, pulling us out of a character's story just as it takes root. The middle section, where the intercutting settles into a fluid, parallel rhythm, demonstrates how powerful the piece is when allowed to breathe. Similarly, while recurring movement sequences aim to connect these women physically, the play’s greatest strength lies in its sharp verbal clarity and moments of direct address.

Clocking in closer to 90 minutes than its advertised 70-minute duration, the extended runtime slightly dilutes the emotional impact of the final stretch. Tighter transitions and fewer movement sequences would preserve the play’s momentum, but A Recurrence remains a vital, deeply felt work that argues powerfully for refusing an inherited script.

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