A heady brew of mythology, revenge play and Greek tragedy, A Cry From Heaven violently re-imagines the pre-Christian Irish myth of Deirdre and Naoise. Born into a court poisoned by political intrigue, Deirdre (Kelly Campbell) is reared in isolation as the future bride of Ulster’s weak King Conor (Ciaran Taylor). When she falls in love with Conor’s nephew, the Red Branch knight Naoise (Alan Turkington), Conor swears revenge. Vincent Woods has replaced the idealised hero-warriors and maidens of yore with grasping powermongers and bloodthirsty harridans. Campbell and Turkington are convincing in the lead roles, but it’s Barry McGovern as the druidic Cathach, Denis Conway as Fergus and Olwen Fouere as the witch-like Ness who provide a satisfying blood-and-thunder reading. Director Oliver Py shows a healthy disrespect for technical convention and Pierre-Andre Weitz’s set is a tour de force of invention.
Abbey Theatre, Dublin, Mon-Sat 8pm, mat Sat 2.30pm, €15-€30 (01 878 7222)