Manuela Kacomanolis

St Patrick’s Day may be over but the Irish charm and fun continues with a play written and directed by WA’s Siobhan Wright called The Local.

Set in a Dublin pub, where unemployed plumber Paddy Branigan, visits every night for his favourite beverage Guinness, it’s the same routine until one night that all changes. Paddy is presented as someone resistant to change, comfortable in the familiar patterns of daily life, until one evening where he either must change his ways or continue down his destructive path and live with the consequences. There is a point in the story where Paddy genuinely tries to turn his life around much to the amusement of the audience.

At the pub there is the regular elderly patron Joe who loves to retell the same stories and the accommodating bar tender Jack who both endure Paddy’s brashness and boastful nature. One evening a stranger walks in but he is not as much of a stranger as they all think. Having grown-up in Dublin but now residing in the south coast of Western Australia, the stranger has returned to wrap up some unfinished business. This unfinished business is linked to Paddy and triggers Paddy’s desire to change.
There are some productions where the venue does more than merely host the performance, it becomes part of the story itself. The Local, now playing at the Irish pub Mons O’Shea in Fremantle, is one such work. What makes the production especially effective is the natural fit between the play and its venue. Mons O’Shea provides a cosy backdrop that feels entirely authentic to the story being told. Rather than watching a pub recreated on stage, the audience is immersed in one. That immediacy lends the production a particular charm and credibility.

The atmosphere before the performance also deserves mention. Audience members were treated to Irish singing prior to the show, with everyone encouraged to join in. By the time the play began, the audience had already been drawn into the spirit of the setting, creating a sense of shared participation.

Overall, The Local offers an engaging theatrical experience grounded in character and atmosphere. It’s a story of a man shaken from complacency by an unexpected encounter. With its lively pre-show entertainment, welcoming environment and intimate staging, this production delivers a night that feels both theatrical and social. Less like attending a conventional play and more like stepping directly into Paddy Branagan’s world.

All the actors delivered superb performances. Dublin native, Carl Flynn as Paddy Branigan, Declan Byrne as bartender Jack, Joe Purcell as regular patron Joe, Roxanne O’Connor as Sky the influencer, Peter O’Connor as the stranger and a special appearance from the director Siobhan Wright as Dot.

To book tickets to The Local, please visit https://www.taztix.com.au/event/thelocal/.

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