Irish Times writers give their verdict...

The Comical Mysteries

Civic Theatre, Loose End Studio, Tallaght

By Gerry Colgan

It begins with a good gag, in which the narrator is stopped before his verbal error gets out of hand; he has been speaking of flatulence instead of flagellants. Back on track, he talks of the history of the medieval self-scourging rebels against church authority, which finally punishes them appropriately for their irreverence - by flogging.

This adaptation by Kevin McGee, of the great socialist Dario Fo's anti-religious tract, examines the lives of very ordinary people in relation to the Gospels and their teachings. The slaughter of the innocents is depicted with mainly resigned mothers and a limp-wristed Roman officer who, after knifing a baby, exits muttering that he could murder a Babycham. It is a world in which the killing of the poor is a norm.

Then there are the miraculous cures by Christ. A couple of lepers debate their chances with mixed results, and later, a group discuss heatedly whether there is any point in going back to give thanks for their healing. Only one votes for the motion, and the fact that one actor plays them all adds comedy to the sketch.

In the marriage feast at Cana the groom was an alcoholic, and water was substituted for barrels of wine to keep the party on the rails. Then Jesus showed up. The wife of Lazarus was resigned to his death, but had to put up with the notoriety following his resurrection, after which he died fairly soon again anyway. A new Christian gets a terrible time of it.

For about 70 minutes, this is all amusing rather than hilarious. It is not intellectual enough to be satire, and takes itself too seriously to be farce. But the three actors - John Delaney, Stephen Cavanagh and Eoin Lynch, directed by Donnacadh O'Briain - ensure that the evening is not one of boredom.

Runs until September 20th

David Connolly (organ)

St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough Street, Dublin

By Martin Adams

Messe pour les Couvents (exc.) - Couperin; Passacaglia in D minor - Buxtehude; Prélude, Fugue et Variation, Choral No. 3 - Franck

The annual series of September organ recitals at the Pro-Cathedral began here with the cathedral's organ scholar, David Connolly.

His programme was a good choice for a player whose musicianship is considerably ahead of his technical security. Unlike so many rising musicians, he has his problems the right way round. All this was typified in his handling of excerpts from Couperin's Messe pour les Couvents.

The crisp articulation of the opening was well-judged and even though he lost rhythmic drive as the texture became more elaborate, his purpose was clear and the main issues were under control. Likewise with Buxtehude's Passacaglia in D minor, which was too steady for music based on dance and improvisation, yet which included some absorbing ways of driving the upper parts in patterns independent from, and larger than, the bass-line's four-bar repeated pattern.

David Connolly came across as a natural, thoughtful musician, willing to take risks to convey how a piece feels, even at the expense of accuracy.

Because he is especially good at shaping a long melodic line while relishing detail, he was at home in the late-romantic world of Franck, the early Prelude, Fugue et Variation and the composer's very last work, the Choral No. 3. In the latter, Connolly pressed the speed too hard for the composer's indications and for textural clarity; but he showed himself a true seeker for this music's ecstatic qualities.

As always, the Pro-Cathedral's organ sounded well in French music, of which there is plenty in this series. So I hope it will be possible to deal with some all-too-obvious problems in one of the most important solo reed stops.

As an organ-savvy friend quipped - nothing that €10,000 would not put right!

Series continues on Wednesday at 1.15 p.m. with Cormac Brady