Éireann | Peacock Theatre

From the creators of A Taste of Ireland, a company dedicated to showcasing Irish music, dance and storytelling worldwide, a new production, Éireann by A Taste of Ireland, had its UK premiere in the Peacock Theatre this week.

Éireann aims to, in the words of director and producer Brent Pace, “truly tell Ireland’s story as it lives today”, blending the music and dance at the heart of Irish culture with video design, soundscapes and live camera work to take viewers on a whistlestop two-hour tour of Ireland’s history. 

The company includes world champion dancers and Riverdance and Lord of the Dance alumni, including Gavin Shevlin, Julia O’Rourke, Alliyah O’Hare, Callum O’Neill, Cian Walsh and Clara Sheppard, and the talent on display is clearly exceptional. 

A clear standout is principal dancer Gavin Shevlin’s ten-minute solo in the second act, a performance which drew whoops and cheers from the audience as he repeatedly protested jokingly that he was too tired to continue - although who would have blamed him if the complaint were genuine? 

Equally impressive are the larger set pieces showcasing the talents of the entire company, with breathtaking skill and energy on display from all involved.

The live music at the heart of the show is performed by Megan McGinley on fiddle, Eamonn O’Sullivan on banjo, musical director Aaron O’Grady on guitar, and vocals from Brian O’Broin. A spectacular array of talent is on display here too, deftly switching from haunting background melodies to rousing pub classics such as The Wild Rover, although the sound balance does sometimes make the vocals difficult to make out. 

Where it does sometimes fall down though is on the narrative side. Ancient mythology, Viking invasions, the Famine and the Easter Rising all have their moment in the show, with the Famine section in the first act paying particularly haunting tribute to those lost. 

However, the narrative path is not always clear, and nor are all of the stories being told for those less familiar with Irish history and mythology. Here some additional signposting would be helpful in order for the show to have the full resonance which its creators intend. 

A creative team including lighting designer Danny Vavrećka, video designer Dan Light, sound designer Dominic Brennan and set designer Justin Williams have created a complex audiovisual backdrop for the live performers. This creates a compelling atmosphere and helps to underscore the shifting narrative, although as with the narrative in general it could be used more effectively to indicate the setting at times.

Live video recording, so popular now in the performing arts, is also used to good effect, with footage of dancers streamed onto the backdrop, highlighting individual performers. It is also particularly effective in the song Molly Malone, in which principal dancer Brittany Pym preens for the camera as Molly in the background while Ó Broin and a selection of dancers perform the number at the front of the stage.

A brilliantly fun evening out with lasting cultural resonance, Éireann is sure to have toes tapping off-stage as well as on. 

Éireann by A Taste of Ireland runs at the Peacock Theatre until 31st August.

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★★★★☆ (4*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Danny Kaan