“The Pigeon Factory,
Cork Arts Theatre
Four Stars Out of Five
Cork city once witnessed spectacular views of pigeons soaring high above their nests located in the crowded housing areas, however, this portrayal is not what comes to life in Aaron O’Neill’s creation – The Pigeon Factory. His avian characters are entrapped, stripped off their flying capacities. Instead, they are being used by their caretaker – Walden, to vent his unspoken anger against several facets of the contemporary world, with their egg-laying function being exploited to feed his rage. It’s this adaptation, beyond just the fantastical idea or anger, that makes this production by Oh!Scare Wilde Productions exceptional.
In an ability that differentiates a solo performance from a stand-up comedy, subsequently gauging the craving for laughter, O’Neill skilfully blends allusion, context, recollection, and reality into a swift yet effective commentary spanning what seems to be seven decades. This narrated disclosure requires the listener to stay sharp to its resonance and implications: for instance, the Ambassador Hotel during the Kennedy-era is all about the hidden spaces; life is but imposed servitude. If a reference is missed, it disappears in a wave of ongoing lively sorrow, though this delicate intricacy sometimes hints at unintended smartness.
O’Neill’s high-spirited performance merging intellectual and physical dexterity stays entertaining throughout. Past reflection and future predictions are hilariously agile in this swift-paced theatrical where everyone from the director, Dee Finn, to those involved in lighting, sound and set design, namely Orla Kelly-Smith, Adam Donovan, and Aodh Lamere respectively, play a critical role. Even minor detailing such as the silver wire pigeons created by Séana Coveney and a momentary, stylishly robed, crippled mannequin conjuring up the charm of a Vogue cover, enhance the overall impact. Amidst all of this, O’Neill maintains his pace, and even as he realizes that his doomed pigeon family is all he has, his voice revives the erstwhile affection for the allure they once brought to the city’s skyline.”
The production of “The Pigeon Factory” has wrapped up at Cork Arts Theatre and is set to make an appearance at Smock Alley, Dublin. It will commence from Tuesday, the 7th of May, running until Saturday, the 11th of May.