The doors are locked, the lights are down, and there is a low thrum of what seems to be poorly remixed dance versions of traditional Irish music. And then Jake and Naomi appear, two Republicans from Dublin who have come to perform an act of absurd terrorism on the British theatre-going public. Fueled by a deep-seated anger at Britain's colonial legacy in Ireland, and racked by the grief of a loss, they set out to express themselves in the language they know best: Straight-up hardcore Republicanism. This is their lexicon and their means of articulation. It also worryingly means they occasionally drift into the territory of eccentric alt-right conspiracy theories. But their heart is in the right place (I think... ?). The play follows Jake and Naomi as their paths and beliefs diverge, and their relationship begins to strain.
The Spectacular is an absurd experiment in the performance of (Irish)nationalism and an interrogation of how to engage with contentious history when the descendants of colonised and coloniser, are in the room. There’s also craic, a sprinkle of history, and worryingly intense gabber.
Tobi King Bakare and this theatre deserve a shout-out for such a young, diverse audience. There is so much talk about audiences being full of over 60s and why, why can’t theatres get the crowds in to reflect society in general? Well, I’m happy to say that on a rainy Thursday evening, the theatre was completely full.
Caiti Grove on Before I Go in CPT's Spring 2023 season London Theatre Reviews
