The Phoenix Theatre presents "The Lieutenant of Inishmore" on its main stage. The black comedy follows a crazy Irish man, Padraic, whose pet cat meets an untimely end. The death of the animal opens a big can of worms in the tiny hamlet, Inishmore
Shane Chuvalas as Padraic is excellent in his obscene madness. He's off his rocker, but his own strange way he means well and his loyalty to his feline is oddly touching.
Padraic is a member of a rebel group in Ireland. His haphazard way of punishing those who cross the moral line have put his fellow Irish National Liberation Army, (INLA) members on edge. When he decides to torture a drug pusher who has been paying them off they decide it's the last straw and the group turns on him. When Padraic returns home to tend to his ailing pet a trap awaits him.
Joanne Dubach plays Mairead, a spitfire of a girl whose ambitions to join the INLA are stunted by her gender. She's the only person who could dare to match Padraic's insanity, which makes them the perfect couple. Everyone in the play is a wee bit mad, but these two take the cake.
The show is reminiscent of the 1999 film "Boondock Saints," both in humor and violence. There's no shortage of blood flow or gunshots during the performance.
If plays were drinks, most would be a cup of tea or coffee; reliably good, some better than others, but nothing out of the ordinary. This play was a shot of whiskey, and Irish whiskey at that. It was fast, intense, a little harsh, but still enjoyable. But like whiskey, it's not necessarily everyone's taste.
Don't Miss the Show
Performances: The show runs until March 9 and offers four performances a week. Thursdays begin at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturdays begin at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
Tickets: To purchase tickets, call (317) 635-PLAY (7529). Tickets cost $15 for those 24 and under and $29 for those 25 and older.
For more information about the Phoenix Theatre, visit www.phoenixtheatre.org. The theater is located at 749 N. Park Avenue., Indianapolis, just off Massachusetts Avenue.
*Photo Courtesy of the Phoenix Theatre
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