The annual Focus season of one-act plays has opened with Tommy O'Neill's Last Man Down, a 50-minutes melange of psychology and action.
Two criminals meet on business bent. One is a hit-man, the other his motorbike driver. It emerges that the first is a Provo, engaged in vigilante action against city drug pushers, and something of a cynical philosopher. His younger helper, also his brother-in-law, is a low-lifer after money.
By the ending, after a third criminal has joined the action, double-crossing and sadistic violence have overtaken the original plan. Ger Carey is typically forceful as the Provo, Paul Roe is right in character as his partner and Johnny Reynolds is a sinister crime boss.
Brent Hearne's direction gets the right crackle into the punchy dialogue, and underscores the social undertones of this taut little play.
Until August 7th. Booking: 01-6607109/6763071
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