How it’s New York: Playing at the Irish Arts Center
How it’s Irish: An Irish production
Carys D. Coburn’s Hothouse, presented by Dublin-based Malaprop Theatre, explores the interconnectedness of human relationships and the environment, focusing on cycles of excess, abuse, and the struggle to change.
Set aboard the “Crystal Prophecy,” a cruise ship to the North Pole, the play reveals the shocking reality of a world on the brink of environmental collapse. The passengers, disconnected from the planet’s decline, continue their luxurious lives, unaware of the destruction around them.
The story centers on Ali (Maeve O’Mahony) and her mother, Ruth (Ebby O’Toole Acheampong), whose troubled family history underscores the themes of generational trauma. Ruth’s father, Dick (Bláithín Mac Gabhann), is an abusive alcoholic who inflicts emotional and physical scars on his family. His toxic behavior creates a pattern of pain that Ruth, and later her daughter Ali, must confront. The play skillfully connects the destructive cycles of human relationships with the exploitation of the planet, showing how both seem locked in an endless, broken loop.
Coburn’s writing uses humor and irony to draw comparisons between the characters’ personal struggles and the state of the Earth. The Captain (Peter Corboy), acting as the ship’s amusing yet tragic narrator, repeatedly describes the extinction of various bird species—only to then casually note that they’re all extinct, as the audience watch him kill them in various ways. This dark, ironic humor reflects the play’s biting commentary on the apathy surrounding environmental collapse and the absurdity of how little is truly done to prevent it.
The production features a striking visual aesthetic, from the aggressive orange set and costumes by Molly O’Cathain, symbolizing a burning planet, to Anna Clock’s quirky original music. The cast’s versatility shines as they switch between multiple characters, effortlessly transitioning in gender and age to further emphasize the play’s themes of fluidity and change. The lighting and choreography, led by John Gunning and Deirdre Griffin, elevate the tension in the play’s climactic disaster movie scene, where the characters’ fates seem sealed.
The conclusion presents a hopeful, if highly imaginative future.
Enjoy a wonderful night out at the theater with this innovative troupe if you can!
