The very best of drama in Kilkenny from Lake Productions

Dream interpretation was taken up as part of psychoanalysis at the end of the 19th century; the perceived, manifest content of a dream is analysed to reveal its latent meaning to the psyche of the dreamer.
One of the seminal works on the subject is The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud.
One wonders what Freud would have made of the production of Trad by Irish actor and author Mark Doherty staged at Cleere’s last week and directed by Donal Gallagher.
Produced by Lake Productions, the 80 minute show was a theatrical breath of fresh air - or as one transition year student from Grennan College described it, ‘Cool, it was a blast.’
Trad, a short but epic voyage , follows the relationship of a 100 year old Irishman and his father , in a surreal comedy that looks at the value of tradition.
Da, played by Derek Dooley , berates his son ( Joe Murray) for failing to provide a son to continue the family line. But the son has a secret, dating back 70 years to an unforgettable night of passion with Mary. The father has one leg , while his 100-year-old son, who is a champion fiddle player, has one arm. Hence the Freud reference?
On their quest to find the missing son, the two actors deliver some of the best comedy produced on a Kilkenny stage for some time. And although a comedy, the story takes a glance at topical issues such as the church and the blame for the ignorance of society to sex and relationships.
Immigration and the need to study the rise in different nationalities arriving here and whether we are able to cope is tackled as is technology and the drastic affect on young people.
Doherty is very clever in the minimalist way he uses his characters to represent different Irish voices. The old graveyard visiting Sal, who is the village newsletter or the local twitter account and the priest who has lost the ability to attract a following.
Although the stage time of these two characters are brief enough, Doherty makes sure the audience get plenty bang for its buck. Both parts are played with a wonderful understanding by Mike Kelly.
Trad is the third production by Lake Productions. this was a brave and different choice of show which deals with Ireland, its history, family, tradition and the need to take responsibility for actions.
“Best to leave the final analysis to Mr Freud: “One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful. Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.”