Review: The Madame Macadam Travelling Theatre

The Madam Macadam Travelling Theatre is the first production of a play by Irish dramatist Thomas Kilroy to be staged at the Bristol Old Vic – and, judging by the audience’s reaction, it may not be the last.

Set in County Donegal in 1943, the play focuses on a travelling English theatre company who have run out of petrol and cannot leave the isolated Irish town. There is some exploration of what happens when two cultures clash, but the play does not delve especially deeply into what could have been an interesting subject.

There is some dramatic tension and a sense of Ireland repelling all boarders and ‘aliens’, in fear of an invasion exemplified by ever-present shadowy figures in the trees. The Irish reservists are on constant night manoeuvres, led by the villainous, parochial and violent ‘Bun’ Burke – baker by day, by night a borderline psychopath with latent fascist tendencies. However, the implication that anyone can become a killer just by donning a uniform is heavy handed and obvious and has been artistically expressed countless times.

The humorous interludes, frequently featuring the English theatre company, provide light relief after the proselytising they usually follow. These interludes often involve the camp, too-old-for-romantic-leads-but-will-play-them-anyhow actor Lyle Jones, compellingly played by Will Kelly. His partner, the eminently sensible Madame Macadam, is equally theatrical – hats off to Jessica Temple for the cut-glass, RADA-style prononunciation and projection – but remains aware that theatricality belongs on the stage, not in real life.

Theatricality, delusion and self-delusion are examined and questioned throughout. Every character, apart from Madame Macadam and possibly the silent spear-carrier Simon, is deluded in some way – about their talent, about people, about humanity.

In the case of the talented leading actor Rabe, his mental disintegration is a response to being beaten in Brick Lane by Blackshirts in the Thirties. His Hamlet-style descent into lunacy is well conveyed by actor Daniel Bogod, and is an interesting aside to the main body of the play and a clever little nod to a far better known and far better play.

The Irish characters are ‘Oirish’ archetypes: the deluded Mary Theresa, looking for a way out of a small town, a holy fool in the shape of the orphaned Jo, a conflicted authority figure, a small-time crook and his crony and a xenophobic, power-crazed English-hater who cannot wait to be rid of the theatre company and the disruption they bring.

The play is long and meandering, arguably lacking a coherent narrative. At times it feels like sitting in the pub next to a garrulous trotter out of clichés who is convinced he is saying something very profound and original. The comedy sub-plot which slowly rises to prominence, about a doped greyhound being the modus operandi for the English getting their black market petrol, is well acted and directed but adds little to the play.

All of the characters are broadly drawn, bordering on caricature. However, the actors and director from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School manage to wring some subtlety and nuance from their roles. As an ensemble the actors worked well together, with individual talents given the opportunity to shine though.  

The strength of the acting in this average play means that future generations of theatregoers can rest assured that a new generation of excellent BOVTS-trained actors are waiting in the wings.

The Madame Macadam Travelling Theatre continues at Bristol Old Vic until Tuesday, November 10. For more info and to book tickets, visit www.bristololdvic.org.uk/madamemacadam.html