A young Irish woman named Aislin finds herself stuck in the middle of The Troubles in 1970s Ireland - literally. She falls in love with two men, a wealthy Englishman and an IRA solider, and faces a difficult decision.
I was sitting on the edge of my seat for the entirety of The Frenzy of Queen Maeve, completely absorbed in what I was watching. Sure, the Irish accents were a little wobbly and inconsistent, but after ten minutes I didn’t even noticed. I was too busy enjoying a great piece of theatre.
The Frenzy of Queen Maeve takes place in 1972, during the Troubles in Ireland, where Aislin must choose between her country and her safety. Jackie Block is magnetic as the main character, and stays sympathetic even when she’s making terrible decisions that only worsen her predicament. Her chemistry with Nathan Howe and Chris Hapke is off the charts, and all three performers work wonderfully together. The Frenzy of Queen Maeve is also well-directed by Josh Ramden, who keeps the momentum of the show going with lots of movement.
It’s easy to see why Anthony McMahon’s script won the Ottawa Little Theatre’s National Playwriting Competition in 2012; it’s poignant and powerful. It starts off darkly comedic - there were lots of laughs towards the beginning of the show. Suddenly, it deals you an emotional punch to the gut and it becomes a full-on emotional tragedy.
The Frenzy of Queen Maeve is a must-see. It’s definitely the best drama I’ve seen in recent memory.
But that’s just my opinion and I really would like to know what you think. Tell me in the comments below!
For more information on the Frenzy of Queen Maeve, check out our preview article, complete with video and links to other press.
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