LIII Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival - THE IRISH INDEPENDENT

Sophie Gorman "The Irish Independent"

AS church bells endlessly toll, the perfect family are in their perfect house perfecting their perfection. Two children brush their beautiful hair and straighten their clothes. The mother puts the finishing touches to her impeccable make up. The handsome father works at his desk to maintain this golden existence. They are rich, they are happy, they are carefree.

But are they really? Or are they acting out a superficial representation of perfection, whilst suppressing their imaginations? Could they really feel stifled by the limitations, the blandness of their unblemished existence?

When a telegram is delivered bearing the simple words 'Arriving tomorrow', they are not aware of the devastating catalyst that is about to lacerate their lives.

The entrance of a louche libertine initially fascinates them. They are enthralled by this stranger; his arrival has awakened them as if from a long sleep and they feel alive. But will he prove to be their saviour or their annihilator? He soon locates their vulnerabilities and proceeds to unravel them one by one, gradually shattering this picture of perfection.

Very little is said, but very little needs to be as this plays out in a series of illustrative tableaux on a stage of truly immense proportions. Instead the performances are aided by a soundtrack that plays a critical role in the development of the underlying menace.

Loosely based on Pier Paolo Pasolini's film 'Teorema', this remarkable work is presented by Poland's TR Warsaw theatre company. Written and directed by the Grzegorz Jarsyna, this epic version makes strong comments about the destruction of society and morality, the role of religion and the overriding pursuit of wealth.

This is often breathtakingly beautiful, at times strangely seductive and at others unexpectedly humorous. There are rare occasions when the emphasis on style overwhelms the concept and an idea is overdeveloped. But these are flickering moments in a work that is mesmerising in its ambition and its achievement. Without our theatre festival, Irish audiences would never be able to experience theatre of this high standard.