A regular on Dublin’s comedy circuit, and with an RTE sitcom under her belt, comedian Alison Spittle is on her way to becoming a household name.
2019 sees her venture into new territory, with her debut play, Starlet, appearing at the Dublin Fringe.
Premiering at Smock Alley Theatre last night, the show is a funny, charming two-hander between Shannon (Roxanna Nic Liam) and Michael (Peter McGann), a mismatched couple out on an awkward date in the arse end of nowhere.
The title comes from the car Michael picks Shannon up in for their (presumable) first date: a glamorous Toyota Starlet.
Spittle’s savvy observational skills are on display from the outset, with lines like “I’m not walking around with a soft drink like an aul p*sshead,” brimming with knowing irony.
Confident direction from Simon Mulholland provides subtle moments of physical comedy, from Shannon self-consciously pulling down her skirt to Michael’s inexpressive ‘hard man’ stare across the driving wheel.
Both characters appear trapped by their beliefs about how men and women should behave, as well as physically by their location in a small Westmeath town. “Sure no one is going to begrudge a lad crying over Paul Walker’s last scene,” Shannon reassures her date after a trip to see Fast & Furious 7.
It’s hard to criticise much about this simple, likeable and witty show. Spittle’s attitude towards her ostensibly unsophisticated characters is refreshingly empathic and warm. Perhaps because she was once the girl in the Toyota Starlet herself, hailing as she does from a small Westmeath town.
If there is room for improvement, it is that its interesting backdrop of the 2008 recession – and the dwindling opportunities afforded to young people at the time – is not explored in any real sense.
With a longer running time and deeper excavation of its underlying social issues though, this really could be a gem for the modern age. Spittle is a talent with plenty to say. Hopefully this first theatrical venture is just the start.
Starlet runs at Smock Alley Theatre until Sunday 22 September
