How it’s New York: It’s part of Origin’s 1st Irish Festival running in NYC from March 23rd to April 28th 2024
How it’s Irish: It’s an Irish American play with a cast and creative team with strong Irish roots
Even before the comforting strains of “Heaven (Cheek to Cheek)” waft through the cell theatre to signal the start of “Last Call for Babe Reilly”, Set Designer Anita Simony de Adelsberg’s ethereal drapery puts us in our place.
But the appearance of a perky-in-pink Zoe Watkins, with a fine line in Cockney banter, record-scratches the audience out of its reverie. We are certainly not in Kansas – or even Chelsea – now (if that is where Heaven waits).
Although ‘The Gatekeeper’ role is not entirely justified in Marianne Driscoll’s latest outing at Origin’s 1st Irish Festival, Watkins’ winning ebullience, and a bunch of well-delivered one-liners, anchor an absurdist backdrop for an age-old tale.
Here, the – recently deceased – person of Babe Reilly is given a ‘Last Call’ to put his life to rights to get him out of God’s Waiting Room and through those Pearly Gates with the good offices of a Guardian Angel seeking his wings.
Thankfully the disarming innocence of veteran New York actor John Keating is usually enough to charm the most cynical spectator and so it is with his delivery of Babe Reilly, a rather feckless Cork native and familiar of the Queens bar-scene.
Relative newcomer John Charles McLaughlin weaves through the worlds on Earth and up above as Jasper (not Casper), the angel guide for Babe, transitioning to be Young Babe for the recently departed to review. McLaughin’s lovely lilting tones are a delight as he strums away his youth on Babe’s couch, with the beautiful “Bells and Whistles”, penned by Shane Thomas.
The stage quartet is rounded out by ingenue Penny, a young one, full of energy, played with aplomb by Nicole Borbone. Her juvenile curiosities are employed to engage with the afterlife, with a skilled side order of Irish dance to keep us all on our toes. Credit to Sean R Crosby for his simple and effective choreography.
There might not be anything too earth-shattering in this play, but can we ever have too many reminders to be kind and to call our mums? Especially not when these messages are so smoothly delivered via the expert direction of Kira Simring.
Special mention to Madame Flo – the demented cat – and Danielle Hartley’s Costume Design for the lightning-struck ensemble of the Gatekeeper and Jasper’s halo, which might just be the accessory at the forthcoming Met Gala.
Last Call for Babe Reilly is playing at the cell theatre, 338 West 23rd St, New York, NY 10011 from April 11th to 28th 2024. Click here for tickets.
For more information on Origin’s 1st Irish Festival go to www.origintheatre.org
