Synopsis
The play is set in Ireland during the 18th century. An English soldier has two illegitimate children by his mistress, a local woman. His pending departure for England triggers dramatic events. Young cattle-killer Dermot is a Celtic Caliban. He becomes the instrument of his mother Maryanne's revenge against his father, Lieutenant Coyle. Butler said of the play, "More than anything I want to put the audience in the eye of the storm. There are a lot of plays about war and colonialism that are wry and ironic and theoretical and that’s all very well, but it’s always taking a step backwards from the reality''."''Reception
Dominic Cavendish of ''The Daily Telegraph, The Telegraph'' said, "this lush, savage, nightmarish imagining of colonial Ireland circa 1762 suggests an imagination that has suddenly, gloriously and recklessly taken wing", claiming that he was "thrilled at the provocation of it, transfixed by its darkness" and that "as a vision of a world without hope, it is too terrifying to dismiss." Andrew Billen of the ''New Statesman'', however, "resented having been trapped in a room for 110 minutes with a work that took itself so seriously it did not even allow us an interval", commenting that "it was like being held hostage by a violent lunatic." Michael Billington of ''The Guardian'' felt that "while Butler makes clear the irony of conscripted converts to Protestantism helping to oppress the local Catholics, he clouds the action with cloudy symbolism", admitting, however, that he "was left to enjoy the handful of scenes that really work". Rebecca Omonira, writing for ''IndieLondon'', commented that the "enigmatic play had me – and the rest of the audience – enthralled from start to finish", praising it as "a graphic depiction of the worst of humanity" which "relentlessly shows how ordinary people become complicit conspirators in torture and rape.". Julie Carpenter writing for the ''Daily Express'' described it as "a violent, unforgiving and immensely powerful play that is not for the faint-hearted".Other reviews
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External links
* * * {{Authority control 2008 plays Fiction set in the 18th century Plays and musicals based on The Tempest Plays by Leo Butler Plays set in Ireland