Crackskull Row--Brings A Dysfunctional Family to a New Abyss

By Joseph Cervelli

To call Honor Molloy’s “Crackskull Row” playing a limited engagement at the Irish Rep bleak might be an understatement. Let’s say that it makes many of Eugene O’Neill’s funereal quality dramas feel  like “Life With Father.” Yet, the cast  is so remarkably fine that it makes the play better than it probably has a right to be. I can assure you that you will never be bored. 

  The miniscule basement theater of the Irish Rep is perfect to house the morose surroundings that take place. Taking place in what is called Dublin 2 the name of the road is Crackskull Row and as unpleasant as that sounds it matches the small dilapidated cottage (well thought out by Daniel Geggatt)  where Masher Morrigan (Terry Donnelly) lives with her daughter Wee Dolly (Gina Costigan.) 

The son of Masher, Rasher (Colin Lane) who peaks through the bars of a prison cell as the play opens. Metaphorically it makes sense for him to look into the cottage where his earlier life was fret with agony living with his mother and abusive father. It is not till the end of the show that he enters as the grown son rather keeping the role of narrator throughout. It is easy to be put off by Rasher’s opening monologue “Couldn’t sleep for the bappittties. His music down the stairs. Thumb to the goatskin.” But the dialogue while also not always easy to comprehend still has a kind of fragile and lyrical quality to it. 

Masher is quite the mess being unkempt and dirty eating whatever is around which includes wormy biscuits. She frequently mumbles to herself and is cared for by Wee Dolly who washes her resulting in a basin containing bloody water. (As a bit of humor the daughter first arrives falling down the chimney.) While the mother certainly needs medical care you know that will never happen for financially they seem to be living on meager sustenance. 

Things then go back in time where Wee Dolly now portrays her mother and John Charles McLaughlin portrays the younger Rasher named for some reason Rash. The names are all quite interesting forming a kind of miasmic feel to this dysfunctional (certainly that is a mild description) family. Rash’s facial expressions could be well described as a life weary one which he wears in such a way that it seems to overpower him. There is an uncomfortable feeling as he hugs his mother and she reciprocates with more than a motherly kiss resulting in what you know is an incestuous relationship resulting in an unpleasant revelation later in the play. 

When their father Basher (aptly named) attacks the mother who by the way is named Dolly, Rash takes a sword to him resulting to his imprisonment. 

Thing get a bit creepy almost reminding me of “Night Must Fall” when in the present day McLaughlin now doubles as an ESB (Electricity Supply Board)  young man. He seems nice enough until he starts to tease Masher about her “mad hair” and taunts her about what occurred between her and her son years ago. More barbs are hurled as Wee Dolly enters and informs the fellow the anguish her  mother has caused her. They form a kind of couple bantering her. 

The cast is quite superlative easily transcending into various characters. They can appear to be despondent and caring one moment and then a shroud of menace appears in each of them. Not an easy thing to accomplish but the actors have this self assured skill to pull it off.

While the ending feels overcooked, director Kira Simring aptly creates an almost dystopian atmosphere where no one of any kindness an enter. The cottage and its residents are doomed from the start. 

Tickets are available at the Irish Repertory Theater 132 West 22nd Street or by calling 212.727.2737. As of this date the limited engagement ends March 19.