Conor McPherson's new play, with which London's Royal Court Theatre is to reopen its newly re-built Sloane Square premises on February 17th, brings the author back into conjunction with his most telling exponent, Brian Cox, this time as an alcoholic undertaker. He plays a North Strand undertaker, long estranged from his wife, Helen, his son, Paul and his daughter Mary, trying to confront nemesis.
It is Christmas Eve and John Plunkett (Cox) arrives sodden from the rain to find young Mark, his apprentice, even more sodden, in to collect his pre-Christmas money. In what Plunkett describes as the story of how he came to meet Mark's uncle Noel, who gave both of them their start in undertaking, there are unfinished sentences in pure Dublinese, devoid of clarity yet pregnant with meanings.
When Plunkett sends Mark off, with an undertaking to get his money from the bank, he is confronted by his daughter Mary with the news that her mother is dying from cancer and a request that he look after the funeral. He is unable to deal with the news and reluctant to accede to the request. That son Paul is also on his way merely adds to his sense of inadequacy.
This is darkly bleak emotional material. It is also significantly comic on a sort of laugh-lest-we-cry basis. There is much symbolic play with the tawdry Christmas decorations in the office and the Advent card on the shelf. The characters laugh when there is not much to laugh about either in recollection or in the present. And there is much poignancy when Plunkett offers advice to Mark (who has had a falling-out with his girl-friend) which may send the young man down the same lonely road along which Plunkett was sustained by the infinitely lonely widow, Carol, who just needed someone's company.
Dublin Carol is a comic and cathartic play about people's inability to relate to each other. It is richly illuminated by Brian Cox's purposefully evasive characterisation: a massive performance, beautifully set off by Bronagh Gallagher's luminously loving Mary and by Andrew Scott's hopefully innocent Mark. I have not had as truthful or as telling a night of theatre in years.
Runs at the Old Vic until February 12th. Transfers to the re-opened Royal Court from February 17th. Booking: London 020 7565 5001.