Shesawhore

It's a gimmick, really, but one that holds up for the 45 minutes or so of Shesawhore, created by Neasa Hardiman and Deirdre Mulrooney from an original idea by Angela Carter. There is little to connect the John Ford of 17th century theatre with the John Ford who created the very best 20th century western movies; but the authors make the most of what there is.

So they take a scenario of brother-sister incest from the play `Tis Pity She's a Whore, and transport it to the painted hills and deserts of the American wild west. Johnny (Paschal Friel) and Annie (Una Kavanagh) live in family isolation and feral innocence, and stumble into animal sex together. By the time the minister's decent son (Louis Lovett) comes courting, she is pregnant, but they marry anyway.

The minister (Jack Walsh) and his unforgiving wife (Ann Sheehy) play their part in the mounting tragedy, and it all ends in bloodshed and death. As the main action works itself out in the foreground, a few parallel scenes from the old play are screened inventively, and short episodes from the luminous black-and-white westerns fill the background.

The iconic faces - Wayne, Fonda, Stewart, Marvin and others - look sternly on while the violence runs its course. Atmosphere is undeniably created, and the short drama holds the interest firmly on a level of entertainment rather than of catharsis. The acting is impeccable all round, and I should have departed the scene with little of a pejorative nature to say, were it not for the self-indulgent interpolation of a Nat King Cole number. Where does he straddle the two Fords?

Runs until April 28th at 1pm and/or 6pm; to book phone 1850-260027