We all have our own stories to tell, and in Main Street Theater’s production of “The Weir,” each character takes a turn telling a tale of their own spooky experiences.
They also see the world through the shamrock-green tinted glasses of their Irish folklore heritage.
For “The Weir,” Main Street Theater’s intimate theater space in Rice Village is converted into a cozy and warm Irish pub. The whistling wind seems to enclose the rural bar while the eerie supernatural tales close in from the outside world. After seeing this play, I honestly want to experience a night of drinking in an Irish pub where people sit around and tell ghost stories.
One experience is all too familiar to many women. In the play, the men accept each other’s stories at face value, but immediately tried to invalidate the woman’s story. While it could be easy to explain away all of their apparitions as a symptom of intoxication or trauma, that’s not the point. Stories are also about how we experience the world, and it’s important to validate each other’s feelings.
Heidi Hinkel’s performance as Valerie, the out-of-town and out-of-place nervous newcomer, keeps up the mysteriousness of her presence until her secret is revealed.
Kregg Dailey plays Finbar, the socially dominant businessman who walks the line of being overbearing, but still manages to show a caring side.
Rutherford Cravens as Jack and Mark Roberts as Jim are both masterful storytellers who can take the air out of the room while spinning a tale.
Bryan Kaplun as Brendan, the bartender, maintains the ordinary charm of the Irish countryside pub setting by being the only one concerned with physical things like broken pipes instead of the spiritual.
My only critique of the performance is that the opening scenes were not engaging. However, that may partially be because the actor’s fake Irish dialects were difficult to adjust to, which made it hard to follow in the beginning.
Overall, Main Street Theater’s performance of “The Weir” is spooky and charming fun.
Main Street Theater in Rice Village is performing “The Weir” through April 7. Fair warning, the show contains some adult content and language. Student tickets are $10 in advance or at the door. University faculty and staff can receive 25 percent off when they use the promo code “TEACHER” and purchase tickets in advance.
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