Reviewed by Giada
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review.
You don’t often see plays like Derry Boys on a London stage. Intense, captivating, and fiercely anti-conformist, it stands as a landmark work on political activism and militancy, steeped in Irish pride and cultural memory. With no dull moments and plenty of food for thought, it confronts the ugly truth: behind terrorism often lies a failed society.
The play opens with an unlikely pair of friends (think Didiand Gogo if they were born in Derry and had watched Pulp Fiction one too many times) preparing to carry out an attack. It sets the tone for an exceptional start. A few minutes in, it became clear that this scene originated from Theatre503’s Rapid Response programme, which ultimately lead to the creation of the full play.
Spanning over two decades, we follow Paddy and Mikey as they navigate their complex friendship and grapple with their “Derry condition.” Born too late to join the IRA, they grow up amid the aftermath of the Troubles, haunted by stories of violence and resistance. Their frustrations and internal chaos find familiar targets: the government is still fucked, and England is still the enemy.
What begins as teenage antics, culminating in a failed local-bakery robbery and the successful torching of Mikey’s parents' car, branches into diverging life paths. One ends up studying international relations at Cambridge; the other bounces in and out of prison, entrenched in an underground existence. The play explores how class, education, and personal (sometimes reckless) choices shape lives andidentities. Despite their differences, Paddy and Mikey are ultimately brought to the same place, though now on opposite ends of the "food chain." Their reunion in London rekindles Paddy’s dulled revolutionary spark and offers Mikey something he's lacked: purpose and a workable plan. Yet, as in their youth, it’s Paddy who escapes unscathed while Mikey bears the consequences. Years later, back in Derry, one final act of extremism levels the scales.
Niall McCarthy’s impressive debut features gripping dialogue where action is sparse, inviting the audience to engage deeply through listening, as a political act in itself. Under Andy McLeod’s direction, Matthew Blaney, Eoin Sweeney, and Catherine Rees deliver spectacular performances. Their chemistry elevates McCarthy’s witty, punchy script, and helps maintaining high emotional stakes even during more contemplative scenes.
The play is educational without ever becoming didactic orredundant. It offers sharp insights into the ideologies behind extremism and the cultural terrain that nurtures it. It asks urgent questions about what drives individuals toward radicalization, and how disillusionment andisolation fuel rage and demand for justice.
Considering this is a debut, McCarthy’s voice is clear and bold, his talent shining through Derry Boys – making him definitely one to watch.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Derry Boys plays at Theatre503 until Saturday 7th June 2025. Tickets are available from https://theatre503.com/whats-on/derry-boys/
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