Theatre Review: Pan Narrans – Bash: Latter-Day Plays

Situated down a side street in Belfast’s hiving Cathedral Quarter, The Barracks is a rather unassuming little theatre space that looks more like someone’s front room than anything else. Only flashbulbs spelling out the ‘The Barracks’ at the entrance and some intriguing artwork up the stairwell let you know that you’re about to enter somewhere very special.

Myself and around 30 others huddle in the small kitchenette area before being ushered into a small dark room filled with stools (as an aside, the only downside about the whole experience was how uncomfortable the stools were stools to sit on for 2 hours), at the front we are greeted meekly by a man (already in character) who nervously paces back and forth until the lights dim and the show begins. Just before the darkness envelops us I spot a woman dressed entirely in black nestled in a windowsill by the stage, but before long I forget all about her…

 “…I’ll tell it once. One time, because it deserves to be told, and then never again” 

Arranged into three short stories, Pan Narrans Theatre’s BASH: Latter-Day Plays is an intense evening of candid storytelling by Neil LaBute, all linked by two things: Mormonism and extreme acts of violence.

Directed by Rhiann Jeffrey and starring Belfast native Michael Patrick and Derry’s Amanda Doherty storytelling really is key, with a table, a railing and just a few blood spattered boards being the only stage setting, along with stark, bright lighting.

In the first story, Iphigenia in Orem, we meet a young man in a Vegas hotel room who is telling the story of his recently deceased child. Michael Patrick does a great job of an American accent, along with the nuanced mannerisms of a man full of anxiety and guilt.

If you thought you were drained by the end of this story, A Gaggle of Saints starts with Doherty jumping out of the darkness (remember the woman on the window sill I spotted earlier?) just in time for a quick costume change before we are told about a couple’s recent trip to New York City with some college friends, whilst Medea Redux finishes off the trio nicely as Doherty plays a woman who recounts her relationship with an old teacher.

From Patrick’s nervous father character to a jock full of confidence, and Doherty’s bolshy socialite to her downtrodden teenager, both actors do a great job of bringing these stories to life, and seeing them as a few different characters throughout the night just goes to show how diverse they are.

Pan Narrans advertise themselves as ‘Storytelling at its purest‘, and BASH could be described as nothing less, just great acting and great stories being told in a very visceral and thought-provoking way. Less about religion, and more about ‘normal’ people acting out extremely violently; the shock of these episodes is juxtaposed nicely with some touches of humour which make the whole thing a lot more palatable.

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