Can't Forget About You

"Contains scenes of a sexual nature, bad language and some Ulster-Scots". Tongue in cheek, that's the Lyric Theatre's way of flagging up some pretty saucy material in Can't Forget About You, a new play by former playwright-in-residence David Ireland.

Would that the cheek were the only body-part that Stevie, the twenty-five year old who's central to the action, allowed his tongue to stray to. It's an act fundamentally undescribable in a family publication, performed in his mother's armchair with a Glaswegian widow twice his age, that causes ructions between Stevie, Dorothy (the mother), and Rebecca (his sister).

They walk in on him unexpectedly - cue terminal embarrassment, outrage, and general mortification. If it all sounds a little bedroom-farcical, on one level it is. But Ireland is a clever writer, and ekes much more out of his raw material than you might think possible. The taboos on discussing sexual behaviour within families, or across generations; the difficulties of big age gaps in relationships; differences in male and female sexuality - all of these are touched on intelligently by Ireland, with an articulacy going well beyond tokenism.

He writes sharp, believable dialogue too, and this is slickly handled by Conleth Hill, making a rare appearance as director. On this showing he should do more of it: the pacing is crisply involving, and Hill draws vividly differentiated performances from his five actors.

Among these Abigail McGibbon makes a particularly strong impression, especially in the virtuoso (and largely incomprehensible) tirade of Ulster-Scots she directs at Martha, Stevie's ageing squeeze from Scotland. But teamwork is really the watchword here: this is a tight, propulsive, and frequently very funny performance of a play which regularly invites belly laughter without cheaply condescending to its audience. It's eminently worth a visit.

By Terry Blain

David Ireland’s Can't Forget About You is at the Lyric Theatre until June 16. All info available via the link below...