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Well, “The Approach” by Mark O’Rowe. now at Irish Rep is a puzzlement.  Not just for its title, but for the message it is delivering – or not.  Three women meet for a cuppa, two at a time.  They have known each other for decades.  There is bad blood between two of them.  And buried secrets all around.

The two obvious spots of bad blood involve a man.  Surprise… In fact most of the conversations we witness have to do with men.  Men IN these women’s lives or OUT of them.  We never meet the men, but we hear plenty about them.  We also hear enough from these women to know that, at one time, the three of them were very, very good friends in a town outside Dublin called Ranelagh.  They refer to this as their “celibate period”.  There is a lot of water under the dam for these three.

Danielle Ryan and Kate MacCluggage in a scene from The Approach at the Irish Rep. Photo by Carol Rosegg

 This focus on their relationships with men felt limiting.  On the other hand, it may be a true center of the fragmented state of this trio.  They rarely meet, and when they do, there are awkward moments to beat the band while they figure out how to bridge the gap that old friendships can deliver.  When was the last time we saw one another?  Why are we talking now?  Is there a point to continuing Thai conversation?  How soon can we leave this tea and escape with promises of phone calls to catch up – calls that will never be made.  What else do they have to talk about other than men?

Been there.  Done that.  Over and over and over.  Score one for O’Rowe.

Kate MacCluggage and Danielle Ryan in a scene from The Approach at the Irish Rep. Photo by Carol Rosegg

 Cora (Carmen M. Herlihy) is the peacemaker of the three.  She broaches the subject of reconciliation to her mates, which causes the respective outbursts of indignation from Anna (Danielle Ryan) and Denise (Kate MacCluggage).  O’Rowe does a fine job of laying out the particulars of the feud with a light touch.  We also get to see that each of these women possesses secrets they reveal one centimeter at a time.  Some are circumstantial and one is dangerous.

Conor Bagley‘s direction is solid and makes the most of this postage-stamp of a stage.   These very fine actors are precise in every way and lead us all on a merry chase through time and location.  The connection between these women brought me back to the rich friendships with my women chums that started decades ago.  Some are gone.  Some are vibrant still.

Where I got lost was where the story ended up.  My theatre guest and I disagreed on the facts of the conclusion (always a good sign) while we agreed on the general final situation.  I cannot say more here because that would defeat the purpose of the tale – and this trio is definitely worth a look-see.

There are, however, gaping holes in this story that leave us scrambling.  How did such-and-such an event happen?  Who knew?  What are they not saying?  This is such an intimate story that the slightest omission sets us adrift.  There were quite a few of those omissions. Kind of a Swiss Cheese approach with the emphasis on the holes.

I left thinking about my women chums and confused about the conclusion of this play. The answer to the question of the “Why” in the omnipotent sense, where we see what the characters may not, was never answered.

The Approach by Mark O’Rowe. Directed by Conor Bagley,

Carmen M. Herlihy (The Apiary) as Cora, Kate MacCluggage(Left on Tenth) as Denise, and Danielle Ryan(Aristocrats) as Ann

Set design by Daniel Prosky (An Ideal Husband), costume design by Stephanie Bahniuk (Kokum’s Babushka), and lighting design by Emma Deane (Can’t Drink Salt Water). Dialect Coaching is by Karen Killeen.

Through May 10 at Irish Rep – 132 W 22nd St.  Tickets HERE.

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