Dolly West's Kitchen

World war 2 is waging across Europe, but in Buncrana, just across the border in the Irish Republic, the impact and tensions of 1944 spill into a family at war with itself. Dolly West may run the kitchen but it is her mother, the wonderfully anarchic matriarch, Rima, who stirs the many political, sexual and family tensions that fuel the undercurrents that keep audiences on the edge of their seats. The humour is both dark and electric as McGuiness switches mood and location. He tackles issues like sexuality in wartime with delicate tenderness, and in all that takes place there is a deep moral tone applicable to all wars. Bitingly fuuny, wonderfully observed,tender yet bitter this is a play that deserves to be widely seen.

I read this play because my daughter was considering auditioning for a production of it. It reads well and could play better. The time is World War II, and the setting is Donegal near the border with Northern Ireland. Ireland's neutrality during the war is an interesting topic; hatred and resentment of the British tipped over into German sympathy for some Irish, while others recognized that the old animosity should be put aside for the greater good. British soldiers visiting across the border were forbidden from wearing uniforms, but it was understood that Britain would not hesitate to violate Irish sovereignty if necessary. That's the backdrop, but the play really concerns the shifting relationships of two sisters, their mother, their young maid, and the men in their lives: brother, husband, lover, and visiting Yanks stationed across the border. The style of language is heightened realism, and with the right cast, it could be compelling and entertaining. The main flaw for me was the role of the gay American soldier. I don't doubt for a minute that gay men served in the military during World War II, but I find it implausible that this guy could be as openly flaming as he is in this play, and that another soldier--and an Irish Catholic family, however unconventional--would be as tolerant and accepting. If you like reading plays, I recommend this as an interesting read, and if it's being performed near you by a good company, I'd recommend seeing it, but it does require more than the usual suspension of disbelief.