“Wild Irish Geese, performance and story, are brutally gorgeous.”
4th Line Theatre from the beautiful Millbrook area brings us Megan Murphy’s raw depiction of Irish immigrants in ‘Wild Irish Geese’, the brutal story of courage, hope, family and despair. With a few moments of brightness, the story is dark and heartrending.
In Ireland in 1825, the devastating potato famine had not yet struck, but harsh poverty, poor crops and political injustice predestined it. Families are being tossed from their homes, and starvation is close at hand. The play follows some families caught in the mire of this chaos. British colonialism offers hope of land and new beginnings in Canada, but it is met with both hope and skepticism.
Focus is on the Hickey and Sullivan families – simple farming people, who apply and win an opportunity to sail to Canada and start a new life along with hundreds of other Irish men and women. After dangerous and tragic political violence, they make the crossing under woeful conditions.
Irony is evident as the Irish victims become victimizers when they confront indigenous peoples. Murphy must be given credit for raising this painful chapter, along with the religious school’s horror. Gradual and painful success comes in the new world with heartbreaking costs.
From the opening scene, we are immediately folded into the story by the extraordinary costume design by Bonnie Garland. It is a full period piece, and the costumes are rich, authentic and detailed. Vests and shawls, coats and top hats are all colourful and weary-looking. The distinction among classes is evident. From the youngest child to the aged, no detail is spared. This makes the final scene even more surprising and moving.
Murphy is both creator and lead actor as the narrator, commentator, ringleader and Greek chorus. Her talent takes her through these roles smoothly, and she manages the pace with vigour. She often uses a sing-song voice, like an Irish lilt.
The entire cast, from young children to veteran actors, has bought into the demands of director Kim Blackwell. They are focused and steeled for the horrors they are portraying. Among them, though, Lindsay Wilson shines as the head of the Hickey family, Johanna. Her emotional range is considerable. She desperately tries to keep the family together and rails against her husband (played with force by Paul Crough) as he descends into the political violence, seeing no other way out.
After John has made a tragic and destructive mistake, Johanna explodes, seething against him. This story requires no subtle rise or fall in emotions – the two of them latch on and descend into torturous grief, pinning the audience to their seats. Another agonizing moment comes as Johanna fears for her dying son – she stumbles out into a Canadian winter to find some pitiful sticks for fuel and is crushed to her knees by agony – the audience is convinced of the bottomless pain.
The young daughter, Mary, is played by the very young Indigo Chesser, and she is a standout. As usual, 4th Line encourages and develops young actors, and Indigo will be among the best. She leads a beautiful song at the end of Act One. She plays a child, mature beyond her years, with wide eyes that can be both bright and fierce.
Other mentions go to Mark Hiscox playing a whimsical and comic Willy Walsh. Ian McGarrett’s priest is dark and imposing. M. John Kennedy portrays the bureaucrat charged with managing the expedition to Canada – he balances well the cold engineer and a kind soul – as he says, ‘I was not a very good conservative.’
Among the gloom of the story, we are heartened by moments of joy (great Irish jigs and reels). Murphy blends in irreverent references to Les Misérables, Oliver, West Side Story and the ever-present corner store chiming of “Winner – Gagnant!” A great surprise was a rap version of bureaucratic nonsense.
4th Line’s penchant for clever staging included a steam ship from simple pipes and umbrellas or a riverboat made from a tarp and wooden paddles.
The geese motif is used throughout – their movement as a community has a heavy accent on the story.
As mentioned, this dreadfully moving production is brutally gorgeous. This cast and crew should be commended for uplifting a harrowing tale. As the audience watches the sun go down over the rolling hills of Cavan, we can only imagine the courage of those intrepid first settlers.
‘Wild Irish Geese’ by Megan Murphy
Performers: Megan Murphy, Lindsay Wilson, Paul Crough, Mark Hiscox, Mikayla Stoodley, Ian McGarrett, Indigo Chesser, and many musicians and singers – see program.
Director: Kim Blackwell
Costume design: Bonnie Garland
Set design: Michelle Chesser
Choreography: Monica Dotter
Runs through: August 30, 2025.
Tickets: 4thlinetheatre.on.ca
