The Saviour--A Staggering New Play

    By Joseph Cervelli

That mischievous smile with the sparkling eyes while smoking a cigarette in bed does not belong to a young woman. In Deirdre Kinahan's staggering new play "The Saviour" at the Irish Repertory Theatre the astonishing Marie Mullen portrays the elderly Maire in the bed with that sheepish grin remembering her sexual evening with the unseen Martin. He is supposedly downstairs in the kitchen making her a birthday breakfast. Rarely, and unfortunately so, do we see an older person discuss their enjoyment of sex and refreshing that it is expressed so realistically here. When she speaks about the sex with  Martin being gymnastic rather than mechanical which she was used to you can't help but smile and feel so happy for her. 

The first 25 or so minutes of this 70 minute play is her monologue reminiscing about her life. She has a few children but you never get the feeling she has had a very warm relationship with them. She speaks about her late husband fleetingly but mostly about how he loved her long hair. While speaking about him you see her brushing her hair delighting in the memory. There are moments when you are not quite sure to make of her somewhat narcissistic manner. But still her winning demeanor makes you entranced by her. She then becomes quite serious speaking about her difficult childhood whose mother died when she was very young and her father placing her in a harsh convent along with the untimely death of her best friend. Being a very religious woman she frequently speaks to Jesus even about her sex with Martin. 

Then without giving away any spoilers things turn almost immediately. Her son Mel  (superbly played by Jamie O'Neill) is shocked that his mother is still in bed and even more upset with hearing about her having sex with this fellow Martin. He needs to have a discussion with her about this man in her life not that she is in the mood for that. 

In the very efficient small turntable set by designer Ciara Bagnall we are in the kitchen and Mel brings her a birthday gift which is a doll that at first makes you think what a strange gift to give his mother. However, it is a very thoughtful one dealing with a doll she had as a young girl. He is also there to inform her about what Martin is really like and it is worse than she can imagine. Of course, she is blinded by her desire for this man so won't believe any of what Mel has proven to her. Suddenly, we hear things about Maire revealed by Mel that we are startled by including her abusiveness as a parent and her homophobia. O'Neill does an incredible job as Mel trying to convince his mother to give up Martin calmly and then with an almost explosive rage when she delves into his personal life. 

Louise Lowe has directed the play so magnificently that, at times, the encounter between mother and son digs deep into your soul. Just watch very carefully the last scene with Maire looking out at the audience with a different facial appearance than what you remember from that very first scene. It is hypnotic. 

PHOTOS: CAROL ROSEGG

Tickets are available at the Irish Repertory Theatre 132 West 22nd Street.