Director: Eadaoin Barrett
Uncle Tony overdosed last month and has left the future of the family business resting on Sharon’s shoulders. Will KitKats and cocaine be her saving grace or will a frantic ex, fifty debts and a recent death in the family cause her to finally crack? Sharon’s story could be pitch black; certainly, she hasn’t had the best of luck in her young life, but the love and security she finds with her Uncle Tony brings a lightness to her story. Told in her broad accent and comedic manner this a touching portrayal of familial love.
Kracked first appeared on Irish stages as part of the Smock Alley Scene and Heard Festival 2018 as a half hour play in development. Now developed into a full production, Kracked is one of the many plays that have benefited from this chance to evolve.
Music is the major driving force of this production. Sharon and Tony, not great at expressing emotions, connect through song. There are several moments in the play as it progresses towards the end when songs propel the narrative forward and give the audience an insight into our protagonist.
Set design is kept to a minimum; with a pink yoga ball and yellow rubber ducks being free to capture the eye with their bright colours and quirkiness against the darker backdrop of the Boy’s School stage. Lighting director Bucky Emmerling’s timing is excellent; keeping the focus on Cowley at all times. With further development, the scenes that swell with emotion and sadness could be sharpened in juxtaposition to the frequent laughs and humour that runs through Cowley’s script.
It is clear that Cowley has lived with her character since her creation. She seems perfectly at home inhabiting her cadence and mannerisms. Kracked is a one-woman show and Cowley pulls off the difficult task of keeping the audience listening with aplomb. Several moments of audience interaction worked very well and gave Cowley’s Sharon the chance to show off her friendly and bashful side – along with her knowledge of horses and KitKats!
However, the title Kracked isn’t quite apt. The character of Sharon is so well drawn and easy to like that the audience are pulled into her both her humour and her grief. Sharon is too fully recognisable (to Cowley’s credit as writer and performer) to be seen as cracking up.
Soon to be performed at The Mill Theatre, there should be plenty more time for Kracked to continue blossoming.
Image: Contributed
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