Arts Centre – Playhouse 12 – 15 October 2016
Camille O’Sullivan and Paul Kelly perform a selection of Irish poetry in their collaborative effort Ancient Rain.
The poems become individual performances, although their individuality is easy to miss. Despite the differing themes and content of each poem, O’Sullivan and Kelly offer little stylistically to differentiate each mini-narrative.
“O’Sullivan shows impressive stylistic range and masterful technique”
Excluding the use of a single red veil in O’Sullivan’s performance of The Statue of the Virgin at Granard Speaks, Kelly and O’Sullivan give little visually to indicate transitions. O’Sullivan inexplicably moves a chair. Kelly becomes a floating head and torso amidst smoke for one performance.
The sung poetry is punctuated by Kelly’s spoken performance. Monotone and stilted, his delivery feels like literary analysis set to music. His Australian accent is glaringly obvious when speaking, providing a jarring contrast to O’Sullivan’s soft Irish lilt.
Closing with a spoken rather than sung performance, Kelly and O’Sullivan bring Ancient Rain to a quiet end as James Joyce’s Gabriel and Gretta of The Dead. O’Sullivan is emotive and powerfully present. Kelly is once again uncomfortably stilted.
Fortunately, from haunting, whispered harmonies to emotive, powerful belting, O’Sullivan shows impressive stylistic range and masterful technique, shining despite Kelly’s stilted acting. Ancient Rain falls short of its potential, but O’Sullivan ensures it doesn’t fall entirely flat.
