Many modern Irish playwrights use their work to explore the ying and yang of humor and horror, none more so than Enda Walsh. His 2005 play “The Small Things,” currently receiving its American premiere courtesy of Solas Nua, may be his most lyrical work so far. It is certainly one of his most shocking.
“The Small Things” is one of those plays that drive theater critics nuts because it is so well written that one is reluctant to give too much of the plot away. Suffice it to say that the only two characters are an old couple identified as the Man (Chris Davenport) and the Woman (Kate Debelack), who both address the audience directly.
They begin by reminiscing about their childhoods and how they became best friends at age 6 in the small village where they both grew up. Eventually we learn that the people of the village became the subjects of an unspeakably atrocious experiment in behavior control performed by the Woman’s father and the owner of the local fish-and-chips shop.
To say more about the story would spoil things for potential audiences. However, the most striking thing about Walsh’s script is its tenderness. The Man and the Woman may have been permanently scarred by their experiences, but they have not lost hope or their feelings for each other.
“The Small Things” is impeccably staged by Kathleen Akerley, oneof the D.C. area’s best directors. Both Davenport and Debelack give nuanced, heartrending and, at times, very funny performances.
With “The Small Things,” Solas Nua has made an auspicious start to their second season. It is groups like this that make being a fan of live theater in the Washington area such a pleasure. The rest of their season is looked forward to with keen anticipation.
‘The Small Things’
Solas Nua’s production of “The Small Things” runs through Sunday
Venue: The Mead Theatre at Flashpoint, 916 G St. NW, Washington
Performances: 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday
Tickets: $15 to $20
More info: Call 800-494-TIXS or visit www.solasnua.org
