Roe McDonnell
This production is a heavily relatable one for young women who were raised with Irish Catholic traditional values. The family dynamics explored and the impact of alcohol on a family. Its themes of wanting to escape and finally be yourself is one that all audiences can relate to.
The audience roots for Aoife throughout each of her moments, as we see her go through her final year of school and make many life-changing choices. With education, family and her figuring out how to accept her sexuality, this is a queer piece of theatre with heart and brings representation where it’s definitely needed.
Donovan delivers this production with experience, inside jokes for days and multi-role characterisation of every character we meet. To me, this feels like a safe production, one for the fans of Derry Girls. Stories like this are needed but it felt that this was lacking a lot of depth – things that made it a unique production in comparison to the other coming-of-age stories at Fringe. It would make a good Young Adult book to the likes of Dork Diaries. Especially with the small inserts for transitions we see throughout as Aoife’s younger self.
This is a production for the audiences’ younger selves, who can relate to each word Aoife says. With just a little more polishing, and some higher stakes, this would be an incredible show.
You can catch What’s the Craic, God? at Gilded Balloon Patter House until 31 Aug (No 18 or 25) at 13:20 (60 Minutes). Tickets are available to book through the Edinburgh Fringe Box Office website.
Isobel Jacob
Finlay Clench
Lola Rose Wood
