Juliet Hindell

Gender differences can be heavy-going material for the stage, but here Mattana manages with real wit and insight to highlight the warping and depressing affects that gender norms can instill on young minds. In program notes, the writer asserts that gender is “not only learnt but taught” and urges us to examine our deep-seated notions about masculinity and see it for “a comical, absurd and ultimately disturbing performance.” The same could be said for this play.

As farces should, the action ratchets up with more madcap medical moments and a good deal of mistaken identity, rampant implausibility, and fast opening and closing of doors. Jesse Berger’s direction is pitch perfect throughout. It all adds up to a happy ending and a joyful, cathartic romp that refreshes an old classic with style, sass, and jokes that have stood the test of time, proving that laughter is never out of fashion.

Irishtown is like a mashup of The Play That Goes Wrong (there’ s lot of slapstick humor) and a takedown of the pretentious creative process. The tension is maintained as we wait to see will-they-or-won’t-they come up with a new Irish masterpiece. Perhaps, with some light editing, we might even be watching the said masterpiece or at least a very good night of theater.