The Finborough continue their series of works written about or during the time of the Great War with this engaging staged reading of John Arden and Margaretta D’Arcy’s brilliant piece on the Irish Revolutionary, James Connolly. Connolly led the infamous Easter Rising of 1916 which sought to stage a rebellion against the British Government in Ireland. Over the course of six separate parts (spanning over 16 hours of performance), Arden and D’Arcy detail Connolly’s journey from his birth in Edinburgh to his death by firing squad in Dublin. The press night performance staged part one and two, entitled Boyhood and Apprenticeship, respectively. These parts provide an in-depth examination of Connolly’s childhood in Edinburgh, trying his hand at numerous jobs before joining the Army. During his posting to Ireland, he discovers Irish nationalism, socialism and meets his wife, protestant Lillie Reynolds. He flees the Army and then returns to Edinburgh, where he tries, and fails, to seek political office but becomes further involved in the socialist movement nonetheless.

Despite comprising of two hours of non-stop dialogue, the piece flows effortlessly. Its structure is both intriguing and incredibly practical for the purpose of what Arden and D’Arcy were trying to do at the time of writing. They wrote the piece in the mid-70s amidst a renewed arousal of political tensions and wanted to find a way to unite the people of Ireland again in a common cause. They knew that this could not be achieved with a simple 90-minute play on the Easter Rising, so instead chose to create a play quite different from any normal piece of Western drama, both in length and style. What they have created bears far greater resemblance to the Mahabharata than to anything else. The juxtaposition of scenes is very effective. Naturalistically performances concerning specific events are performed alongside scenes of rhythmic verse and song. Indeed, this may be the only form with which to engage people in the message of the socialist struggle.

The company must be congratulated on the superb and unwavering energy that they bestow upon this long, staged reading, which could easily have caused a few audience members to drift off over the course of the evening. Instead nearly all characters, no matter how fleeting, commit to the piece with real gusto and volume. It is a credit to both cast and Director, Shane Dempsey that they have managed to make a reading into a real ensemble performance. It is hard to single out individuals, but Aidan O’Neill excels in the role of Connolly taking us into his journey with great subtlety and passion, and his singing, on top of Alex Brabbins’s wonderful score, is very special. However, it is the strength of the ensemble in tandem that makes the evening a worthy one. Dempsey and cast have made a clear effort to make every group scene feel alive and real. It helps the audience to get swept up in the feeling of hope and aspiration that had engulfed the socialist movement at the time.

Today, as our civil liberties, trade unions and workers’ rights all become further decimated by governments and corporations, it is especially timely to see Arden and D’Arcy so excellently preach the power of people power. One of the great problems facing Connolly’s socialist movement at the time was how to reach a wider audience of liberals without compromising on the principles and needs of those at the very bottom of society. Arden and D’Arcy use Connolly’s life to demonstrate how one man who seemed to be ‘divided before he started’, (between Scotland and Ireland, between socialism and the Army, between his Catholicism and his wife’s Protestantism) refuse to let divisions overcome his desire for equality and justice. It provides a perfect message for people today not to focus on minor distinctions between race, religion or class but to band together to fight for a fair society for all.

The Non-Stop Connolly Show is playing at the Finborough Theatre until 24 April. For more information and tickets, see the Finborough Theatre website. Photo: Tara Marricdale