Eva O'Connor's intense new play For Dolores, produced by Fishamble Theatre Company, delves into the complex dynamics of an obsessive friendship between two young women. The play, currently showing at the Mick Lally theatre in Galway, features Catriona Faint as Mo and Lara McDonnell as Réaltín, who initially appear as bickering young parents attending a therapy session with the audience cast as the therapist. As the narrative rewinds to their first meeting as university students in Edinburgh, a portrait of a deeply dependent friendship emerges.
Contrasting Characters and Compelling Performances
O'Connor, both playwright and actor, has previously explored themes of compulsion. Here, she vividly conveys the confusing mix of love, dependency, admiration, and desire that can characterize young women's friendships. Réaltín describes it as "the wild magnet pull of us." The bond between the spiky, politicised Glaswegian Mo and the naive, middle-class Dubliner Réaltín is cemented by their contrasts, brought to life through Faint and McDonnell's committed performances.
Director Jim Culleton sensitively highlights, in subtle moments and gestures, that Réaltín may be oblivious to the differing depths of their feelings—the distinction between loving and being "in love." This distinction matters little during their messy drinking and clubbing years, but post-college, when an emotionally lost Réaltín becomes engaged to a wealthy Finnish man, the fallout proves catastrophic.
Structure and Tension
The play alternates between monologues presenting competing memories, dance moves, and bluntly humorous dialogue. The leisurely exposition of early scenes gradually tightens around the events of a single night, with tension underscored by Denis Clohessy's sound design. At a party where sex, alcohol, and jealousy collide, the violent climax is rendered all the more vivid for not being directly described.
Set designer Alyson Cummins's simple raised platform rests on a layer of discarded bottles, books, and junk, as if allowing the audience to see the detritus swept under the carpet. O'Connor ensures that we cannot look away.
For Dolores runs at the Pavilion theatre, Dún Laoghaire, from 22 to 26 July, and at the Traverse theatre, Edinburgh, from 6 to 30 August. The Galway international arts festival continues until 26 July.
