Filled with glorious decay, dark humour, and moments of edge of your seat intensity, Fishamble’s Underneath is a wonderfully surreal journey through one woman’s life and death that explores the real impact of features that are only meant to be skin deep.

Dimly lit, and filled with black and gold, the set exudes a dark exuberance that is only amplified as Pat Kinevane takes to the stage in make-up and costume covered with similar colours. It’s hard to say initially what is more striking, the stark, powerful lighting or Kinevane’s bold and eerie movements. Both invoke the otherworldliness of this play, and they work so well together that it’s hard to rank one above the other. However, when you realise that Kinevane himself had a hand in the design along with director, Jim Culleton, it becomes apparent why they work together so well. Every shaft of light – each bursting in as if through a crack in the main character’s tomb – highlights and strikes every monologue and scene and moment of movement so expertly that it almost lends a cinematic quality to the piece as our eyes our forced to focus on small details or moments as if they’ve been given a close-up.

Kinevane’s performance isn’t to be upstaged though. He has an expert physicality that allows his movements to be surreal and almost unnerving when they could easily slip into the realm of silliness. The moments of levity and humour that often act to break the tension of a dark moment beforehand are always under Kinevane’s control, and from the second he appears on stage it was obvious the room was his – though this command didn’t impede the many moments of vulnerability, despair, and uncertainty we’d see from Kinevane’s unnamed character.

Of course, the writing is nothing to be looked over either. Kinevane has created a compelling, fully-fleshed out character in the unnamed woman at the centre of this show. You easily see her rich inner-life and emotional journey as she tries to come to grips with superficial features and scarring that leave her ostracised and shy – something that initially seems hard to believe giving Kinevane’s captivating presence. This character’s story – her main plot line mixed with moments of silliness, small interludes of reality shows, warm audience participation, and the occasional grim reminder that this is all based in a tomb – is masterfully told, and all the elements of this production are weaved together perfectly to create this show.

This play is weird, wonderful, and perfect for anyone who as ever felt left out or different. It’s a neo-drag reminder from beyond the grave for us to be kind to each other, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Underneath is playing Soho Theatre until December 17.

Photo: Patrick Redmond