22 February 2012 (Theatre Review)

Star Rating: 5/5

Venue: Bewley's Cafe Theatre
Directed by: Donal Gallagher
Written by and Starring : Aideen Wylde and Tadhg Hickey.

Review by: Caomhan Keane

Wings of a Dove meets So I Married an Axe Murderer in this Shakespeare riffing romp where civil blood makes tennis whites unclean. Based on the astonishing true life story of Ireland's first ever Wimbledon finalist, Vere St Ledger Goold, CheeryWild's production of Love All, a two-hander running at Bewley's Cafe Theatre until March 3rd, is the perfect combination of silly, sweet and sick humour making for a most enjoyable hour in the presence of two thrillingly dexterous performers.

The right side of self aware and not at all smug Tadhg Hickey and Aideen Wylde bring to life The Tragic Titan of Tennis and his wife Marie Violet Giordine (the Diabolically Devious Dressmaker) as well as a whole host of other characters in a tale that charts the sportsman's meteoric rise and blood and booze drenched decline through vigorous bouts of tennis and lovemaking, swindles and swoons.

From fawning females to baying mobs, Centre Court to Monte Carlo, the plucky pair switch in and out of character using the simplest physical gestures - the sucking of a lip, the fluttering of an eye, whilst all the while threading an air of artistic aggravation between the star crossed and libel baiting lovers/performers, which grounds them and prevents the actors from playing up for the audience.

From a trunk they pull their minimalist props adding to the village fete like air, aided by Deirdre Dwyer's simple yet superb set and costume design, all bunting and 19th century tennis whites, while Donal Gallagher's masterful direction insures that a beat or a trick isn't missed in a show that pummels the funny bone with Carry On abandon.

What makes Love All such a joy is that its humour services the story and not the actors and hence benefits both. A joyful farce that will keep you giggling and guessing as to what is going to occur next, Love All won me over in straight sets.

 

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