In The Name of The Son by Martin Lynch and Richard O’Rawe, Lyric Theatre
ORIGINALLY set to open at the Lyric Theatre just as the pandemic hit in March 2020, In The Name of The Son tells the story of Gerry Conlon’s life after the Guildford Four were freed from prison.
Fast forward to a crisp November night, over a year and a half later and audiences are finally sitting down to see the story of Gerry’s life after release, brought to the stage.
The play opens just as Conlon dies from cancer in 2014 before taking us back to Gerry’s turbulent life in Belfast which saw him ostracised to the streets of London under threat of republican paramilitaries.
Throughout the performance, the piece touches on many themes that led to Gerry’s battle with addiction, from blaming himself for his father Giuseppe’s death to the trauma associated with his wrongful incarceration.
From the outset, Shaun Blaney’s incredible talent as an actor shines through as he brings a level of physicality to the character that one could imagine a practitioner such as Steven Berkoff could only be proud to work with.
Blaney’s ability to seamlessly transition between characters – from the eccentric Jim Sheridan to the likes of Daniel Day Lewis, Johnny Depp and even Conlon’s mother Sarah brings this performance to a new level.
While this is a one-man show, audiences could be mistaken for thinking that there was a whole company of actors behind the production as Shaun Blaney really owns the stage and brings a level of characterisation that if there were to be anyone else on the stage, it wouldn’t do the story justice.
Shaun’s ability to tell the story is aided by a minimalistic set consisting of a walkway, table, stool and a wall. Blaney’s ability to interact with the set is next to none and throughout the performance the audience have to use their imagination as what was once Conlon’s cell wall doubles up as a courtroom and even an aeroplane.
This is an extremely physical performance and Blaney shows no sign of tiring despite being on stage for over two hours.
Director Tony Devlin has really come into his own with this piece and you can see his talent continue to grow and develop. He has taken this script and elevated it with elements of physical theatre such as the numerous dream sequences that allow the audience to get inside the head of Conlon and the turmoil that he is facing.
This is also aided by Blaney breaking the fourth wall on a number of occasions throughout the performance which allows the audience to feel as if they are part of the story.
In terms of the script, Martin Lynch and Richard O’Rawe have written a work of art that is set to do very well. It is rare that you will see a locally written and produced production that you know instantly will be a hit on the international stage.
Conlon’s story after his release is one of the devastating impacts of torture under a tyrannical regime and the trauma that comes with it which will resonate with audiences around the globe.
If you think you know the Gerry Conlon story – think again.
In The Name of The Son runs at the Lyric Theatre until 14 November and tickets are available from the Lyric box office priced from £12.
