Mary Elizabeth Burke-Kennedy's 1984 play, performed here by the Storytellers theatre company and Cork Opera House, is like going back to school, but in a good way: teacher has got a subversive streak and is giving the old lessons with all the dirty, fun parts left in.
Burke-Kennedy retells ancient Irish myth from the female side, placing four strong women in the centre of vignettes played by a seven-person cast. What could have been cringingly twee becomes surprisingly involving because of her deft use of language (contemporary colloquialism mingles with heightened description of landscape and action) and the confidence of a well-rehearsed cast, directed by Burke-Kennedy herself.
"You've a handy way with transport," Nessa says to the Druid Cathbad after he has commanded a lake to carry her over to him on a wave. Cruinniac and his sons, before they're adopted by Macha, are "content, well-fed, filthy, and united".
Even though most of the actors double and treble up, the potentially confusing web of characters and stories only gets a trifle muddy in the final section, the story of lusty Maeve's pursuit of the black bull of Ulster.
Otherwise the use of costume and set pieces, and the distinctive performances, remind us who's who. The overlapping of characters from story to story is often used to moving effect, as we discover unflattering facets of people that were first presented to us as heroes.
A fussy series of standing panels mars what is otherwise a lovely setting, and Catherine Fay's costumes - linen tunics, blonde boots, big leather cloaks - give the right messages of old mixed with new.
Presenting the stylised evening as one long act is wise, and energy only flags about 15 minutes before the finish. But there's a little present at the end that finishes things off beautifully. We finally get to hear "the story of the two pig-keepers" that has been started and aborted throughout the action, and it drives home the serious message that has been hinted at throughout: that women, as well as men, are responsible for the silly battles over love and land that somehow descended into war in Ulster.
· Ends tomorrow. Box office: 00 353 1 462 7477. Then touring.
