Harriet Joyce reviews the recent show at Incognito Theatre

Three actors in a scene set in a bar, during a performance of The Weir at Incognito Theatre — Actors for Incognito Theatre in The Weir – (Credit – Incognito Theatre)

The sell out opening of the latest production at Friern Barnet’s Incognito Theatre took place on the theatre’s 75th anniversary in January.

Conor McPherson’s The Weir was directed by Julianne Mullen, who recently appeared in the theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol.

The Weir also saw the return of Andy Mills after a much longer break to play Finbar. He previously appeared at Incognito 13 years ago in another McPherson play, Port Authority, which was also directed by Julianne Mullen.

The Weir, written by McPherson in 1997 and voted amongst the 50 most significant plays of the 20^th Century, takes place in a remote part of Ireland. It was an impressive production to mark the occasion, with the authentic-looking set taking set designer, John Savage, eight weeks to build.

The bar was well adorned with realistic details such as beer pumps, supplied by McMullen & Sons Ltd and the props, such as the use of real lit cigarettes, helped give the play a feeling of reality. The dialogue being successfully delivered in Irish accents also helped the audience feel as if they’d been transported to the plays setting of a remote Irish pub.

Lighting designer, Richard Boohan and sound designer, Mike Mendé, created an eerie setting for the play by opening with a black out and Irish folk music. This suited the themes of folklore in the spooky stories told to impress Valerie, a young woman who has just moved from Dublin, by the pub goers, whose costumes were styled by Margaret Johnson.

The motif of the whistling wind sound effects evoked the windy night when the play is set and built suspense for the reveal of Valerie’s even spookier tale that threatens to stop the lads in their tracks.

Not only is the setting impressive but the high standard of acting in the production made it well worth a watch. Despite the play being filled with monologues, Rebecca Hill, playing Valerie, had excellent facial expressions. Her use of non-verbal communication was also effective at showing the different emotions of her reactions to the suspenseful monologues told by the lads.

The men were played by actors from the Incognito company including Tom Skitt, recently cast in Incognito’s most recent production of A Christmas Carol, Kevin Naghten, who has a history of being cast as Irishmen called Jack, returning actor Andy Mills and Steve Meehan, whose part as Jim in The Weir marked his first involvement with Incognito Theatre.

The next play taking place at the theatre is Caroline’s Kitchen by Torben Betts, directed by Spencer Clayton, which runs from 17th March to 23rd March: Caroline Mortimer, the nation’s second-favourite TV cook, has it all – a sparkling career, a big house in Highgate, a (golf) loving husband, smart kids and the best kitchen money can buy.

But beneath the immaculate furnishings, studio lighting and away from the glare of the ever-present cameras – Caroline must face the looming collision of living a private life in the public eye. What happens when the cameras turn off and the truth comes out?

Tickets are available here.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.