Alice Devine Not For Sale, Vikings Theatre, Dublin

Alice Devine is able to know which shopper is more likely to be a Tesco Finest or Value person, an interesting lens to look at Tiger and trouble days, something her husband responds to by noting you don't know what's going on behind the scenes, and as it turns out, there is a lot going on behind the scenes, but she won't know that until it is too late. Alice goes through the ups and downs of the Celtic Tiger and bust; from her husband owning his own business, to it coming to a shuddering halt in the post Tiger days, before she loses him, then the house and her sons. This is Alice's story, but in Shay Linehan's script, presented by Breda Cashe, there is a balance between the drama, tragedy and comedy, that gives an engaging and honest look at life, with a little bit of a hand from Joe Duffy and David McWilliams.

This is a solid tale of life during the crash, deftly handled, adding comedy to serious moments, balancing light with dark, all helped by a terrific, natural and very engaging performance by Hilda Fay as Alice, in this one woman show. What she creates is a genuine character, with a sense of innocence to her, making her journey all the more believable, allowing us to see ourselves reflected in her. There are times she needs to interject as other characters, like the girl from the bank, underlining Fay's acting skill, as she becomes a different person for the few lines needed, and one we all recognise. The language is natural most of the time, with some wonderful turns of phrases, 'bank shares, safe as houses', full of many observations of life and finances.

It all moves along at a good pace, directed well and knowingly by Terry Byrne, against a simple set of IKEA style furniture and a picture backdrop of stones, which becomes understandable as the story unfolds, with none of the set taking away, or getting in the way, of Alice and her story. It all works well together, under the straight forward, and at times subtle, lighting design of Andrew Murray.

In all, this is an entertaining piece, that doesn't forsake humour even though dealing with sensitive issues, proving that you can balance the two well. The odd time the language slips a little, but the overall effect is a voice that rings true, even when the real characters get a look in, but this is all done with a glint in the eye. 

Alice is a character that people will sympathise with and cheer for all at the same time, helped by Fay's solid, excellent performance as a woman learning to cope and finding herself again after the crash. This is on a return trip to Vikings Theatre, and it is easy to see why. It is well worth a visit for a well performed, written and engaging one act play.