Madame de Markievicz on Trial, The New Theatre

Ann Matthews returns to the same decade as Lockout 1913. This time it's 1917, and Constance Markievicz is on trial for allegedly shooting unarmed Police Constable Lahiff on the Easter Monday of 1916, during her involvement with the rising. This is a simple courtroom setting, the prosecutor's table, the dock and de Markievicz's table and notebook, that allows for a 'what happened on the day' approach as witnesses are brought out and give their version of events, as well as taking a rounded look at Madame de Markievizc.

Being a member of the Gore-Booth family of Lissadell House in Sligo, she let go of her Anglo-Irish background, taking up with the nationalistic movement. She was involved in politics, known to be comfortable and to work with the poor of Dublin, as well as marrying a count. Matthews' play allows us a look back and through her life, in an attempt to move beyond the 'icon' that she is known by, and delve into her as a person, looking at the fact and the myth.

Here, Madame is a strong presence, showing authority in voice and stance, brought to life by Barbara Dempsey with an earnestness and responsibility to the cause. She talks directly to the audience in a style that takes her out of the courtroom, as if not relying on the 'records' to communicate her thoughts and feelings of the proceedings she finds herself a part of. 

Neill Fleming's William May, the only fictional character in the piece, has a booming questioning style, that comes out quickly, clipped and clear, showing his own authority in this environment. The questions and comments allows for the focus to be sharp and to keep the pace moving, which it does throughout, balancing the facts with courtroom drama.  

The remainder of the cast are as strong, creating characters that also allows for some wry humour, such as Ian Meehan's William O'Brien, demonstrating the strength and confidence of de Markievicz alongside his rolling eyes style replies, and Amy O'Dwyer's Margaret Skinnider, who like many in today's world, writes a book on her own experiences but how much is truth? O'Dwyer as Skinnider is a transformation from her first role in the play, that of Helena Mollony, creating two very distinctive characters. Andrea Kelly as Dr. Kathleen Lynn and Mrs Lahiff, mother of the slain man, pulls of another good transformation. Siofra O'Meara as the nurse who has issues with the image of Madam rounds off what is a solid and strong cast.

Dempsey's final speech as de Markievicz is very stirring, aided here, and throughout, by Cathy O'Carroll's lighting design. Direction is by Anthony Fox, keeping a tight rein on proceedings, and while there are a lot of facts and this is about real events and people, it never forgets to maintain a drama, and the idea of what happened, alongside looking deeper into the main character, and the involvement of women in the rising. It is all kept together solidly, in what is an engaging and enlightening, well acted work.