Irish Arts at Irish Fest

Paddy McFest with pipe = comedy. Paddy without pipe = tragedy.

The theater pavilion faces the water in a cozy, little tent far enough from the rest of the fest to hold its own atmosphere. Milwaukee Irish Arts returns to Milwaukee Irish Fest this year in a perfectly-placed theater tent that is far from the noise and commotion of the rest of the fest. The brief bits of comedy and drama fill a cozy, little space with more than enough time between performances to pop out for mead, ale, fish and chips and such amidst the festivities of the festival. I had the pleasure of seeing three shows opening night. Here’s a little bit of what to expect.

“Bring Your A Game”
Rising Irish playwright Méabh de Brún paints an endearingly complex picture of a couple of women caught in an elevator. It’s a brilliant comedy painted on the smallest possible canvas: 15 minutes in an elevator. Becky Cofta is remarkably balanced as someone suffering from a serious phobia. Cofta’s level of distracted focus in the role is inspired.  Brittany Boeche-Vossler is charming as a wheelchair-bound overachiever looking struggling to deal with the predicament.  The playwright manages a very, very sophisticated and relatable comedy that says a hell of a lot about the human condition without ever leaving the elevator.

“Julia Elizabeth”
The title character never quite manages to show-up in a three-person comedy. It’s set around a rural dinner table. Julia’s parents try not to wait for her when a suitor shows-up to ask for her hand in marriage. George Sheppard is the gruff-but-lovable father.  Sarah Mankowski is cleverly subtle as the passively dominant personality that always seems a bit too over-eager to render the moment. Charismatic Joe Picchetti channels an impressively comic vulnerability about him. Picchetti does well in a performance that's solidly counter-intuitive for someone who has such a smooth stage presence.

“Dead Man’s Bells”
Méabh de Brún’s other piece on the fest is considerably darker than her elevator-based short. It’s the darkly comic tale of three sisters living on a farm. Libby Amato plays soft-spoken strength as the eldest sister. Maura Atwood conjures her trademark charm as the middle sister. Madeleine Craig is admirably nuanced in the role of the youngest daughter. Amato, Atwood and Craig have an engaging fluidity about them as they move in and around an ensemble of characters in a small town. The three bring together a captivating comic thriller.


These shorts and more will continue to appear in the theater tent as Milwaukee Irish Arts continues at Milwaukee Irish Fest through Sunday, August 21st. For a full schedule and more, visit Milwaukee Irish Arts online.