A BROKEN LULLABYE // A THEATRE REVIEW OF "A GIRL IS A HALF FORMED THING"
"I met a man. I let him throw me round the bed. And smoked, me, spliffs and choked my neck until I said I was dead. I met a man who took me for walks. Long ones in the country. I offer up. I offer up in the hedge. ... I met a man who hit me a smack. I met a man who cracked my arm. I met a man who said what are you doing out so late at night. I met a man. I met a man. And I lay down. And slapped and cried and wined and dined. I met a man and many more and I didn’t know you at all..."
If the above except from Annie Ryan's triumphant adaptation of the scorching novel A GIRL IS A HALF FORMED THING tells you anything it's this: the play you're about to watch is beautifully poetic and will be very hard to watch. And both are true. Through 85 minutes we a brought through the ringer; that is to say, we are shown how one young 13 year old girl was brought through the ringer, and feel the weight of every bruise, every cut, every scrape. It's not an easy show to watch but through patience and persistence you'll find yourself transfixed with every moment all the way to its metrical end.
The source material itself seems unable for a translation, or at least unable to translate. The much lauded novel by Eimear McBride is told as if a stream of consciousness. But here, refit entirely into a monologue and performed by the mesmerizing Aoife Duffin, it shifts and flows like a lyrical honey that's sometimes tough to break through but fully satisfying when you do. At the top, only a dim light shines from stage right on an otherwise blackened stage. When we do see Miss Duffin, she seems more of a shadow of herself, already possibly broken, readying to build herself back up in order to tell her tale. Our narrator is a 13 year old girl, a spirited young Irish girl who has grown up without a father. Her tale, as we hear it, does not begin well. At this young, delicate age, her uncle has his way with her. This deplorable encounter of course shapes everything from here on out, yet she does continue on, heading off to college. But just as soon as she gets away, her dark past, and broken family, claws its way back into her life.
Aoife Duffin is sensational. Her characterizations of the young girl and those around her are heartbreaking and chilling, fully formed and haunting. The creepiness of every inch of smile as the Uncle, the self-righteousness of the God fearing Mother, the brokenness of the young girl. She makes you feel every moment with her passion with what in reality is a true marathon of emotions. She wears what looks like pajamas, standing on a bare stage with sand below her and dim lights behind her. The eeriness of the mood never quits, and the feeling of a ghost story to come is ever present. A happy ending may not be in sight for the girl, but a true spiritual journey is in store for the viewer. Director and Adaptor Annie Ryan has cut the novel down considerably, yet you would never know it. Not changing the point of view from the girl was a wise decision and her simple yet stunning direction is one not to be taken for granted.
For the first few moments of the evening, you may feel lost, dizzy, disoriented. That will soon pass. Hold on, keep both feet on the floor, and the poetry and performance will seep into your soul and refuse to let go. This is not an easy evening of theatre, but a necessary one. Just one performance of A GIRL IS A HALF FORMED THING reminds you of what life is really all about; how precious and fragile it really is. Be brave. Buy a ticket to this (do it now, you don't have long), take a deep breath, and take it in. It won't leave you for a long while after exiting the theatre, nor will you want it to. This is what the term "theatre for the soul" is all about.
Photo Credit: Mihaela Bodlovic
MATEO'S GRADE: A
Adapted and Directed by: Annie Ryan Based on the novel by Eimear McBride Starring: Aoife Duffin Music and Sound Design by Mel Mercier Playing at The Baryshnikov Arts Center through April 30th For Tickets: http://bacnyc.org/performances/performance/the-corn-exchange
OFFICIAL A GIRL IS A HALF FORMED THING TRAILER: