Lough/Rain

In this hotly anticipated work by young playwrights Declan Feenan and Clara Brennan, two stories are interwoven to demonstrate the profundity of everyday interaction. In the first half, written by Feenan, Michael and Caoimhe are an affectionate young couple going about their everyday lives, eating breakfast together and discussing the day ahead.

In Brennan’s second piece this intimacy is broken after Michael suffers a terrible brain injury. Robbed of their physical and mental intimacy, the couple struggle to communicate and their relationship slowly unfolds during a visit to Michael’s care home.

This is an ambitious piece of theatre with an innovative and fascinating premise. Yet Lough/Rain falls frustratingly short throughout. While Jot Davies and Kate Donmall are at least initially convincing as the lead couple, a peppering of wistful stares and elaborate silent interludes—the couple stand opposite with outstretched arms—only acts to undermine the strength of their dialogue.

The combination of the two plays also seems to stall somewhat, with the suggestive potential of Feenan’s piece weakened by the overt and unconvincing depiction of disability in the second play.

More of a missed opportunity than a failure, Lough/Rain promises an insight into intimate human narratives, but instead slowly abandons its naturalistic emphasis in favour of creeping sentimentalism.