The Horse Trading Diaries | The New Theatre
Star Rating: 4/5
Title: The Horse Trading Diaries
Venue: The New Theatre
Until the 8th of September
Written by: Shane Burke
Directed by: James McNulty
Cast: Ian Meehan, Leah Egan, Colm Kenny-Vaughan , Lewis Quigley, Stephen O’Riordan, Conor Scott
Review by: Lauren O'Toole
When his plane was grounded in Shannon airport in March 1965, Che Guevara found himself staying overnight in Limerick city. This whistle-stop visit by the Argentine revolutionary, with claim to Irish roots, sparked the imagination of playwright Shane Burke, the result of which was The Horse Trading Diaries.
Burke is careful to note that the hotel that features in the play, all events and all characters (beyond Guevara and his stay in Limerick) are fictional and it doesn’t take long before you are quite convinced that it is all far too good to be true. The play is set in a tiny hotel in Limerick populated by a whole host of character who would not be out of place in Fawlty Towers. Slightly shaken by the arrival of the celebrity socialist, played by a swaggering Ian Meehan, the hotel staff’s curiosity is piqued further by Miss Gonzales, a beautiful MI6 agent in disguise. Together with her wonderfully smarmy colleague Tim (Lewis Quigley), Gonzales’ investigation goes beyond Guevara to hotel owner Michael’s shady history in the Troubles.
The Horse Trading Diaries is a non-taxing political farce with a healthy dollop of humour laid on throughout. The characters, though somewhat stereotypical, are ridiculously charming – no matter if they are evil geniuses such as Tim, played with debonair deviance by Colm Kenny-Vaughan or loveable fools like the guitar strumming tight trousered Elvis wannabe Jeremiah (Lewis Quigley). Che Guevara somewhat disappears into the background as Burke’s own creations take precedence in a play which is as engaging as it is endearing.
Story by EI Team | 09:00 | Friday 31st August 2012 | Theatre
heneghac
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