Life’s pretty relaxed at The Goat of Arms pub, that is if you don’t count the ghost constantly causing bumps in the night. A Goat, A Ghost, and A Guinness, written and directed by Aurora McClennan, is an intricately woven tale about family, love, and loss all surrounding a little pub in Ireland. Tackling life’s hard truths head on, A Goat, A Ghost, and A Guinness is a dark comedy you’ll equally laugh and cry about.

A Goat, A Ghost, and A Guinness gives us a glimpse into a day in the life of a family run pub in rural Ireland. Three sisters, Grainne, Maura, and Blaithin run the pub, along with Garinne’s husband Lorcan and their long time friend Rhys. Tensions are already running high when an American tourist named Taylor arrives looking for a man described in an old journal belonging to her grandmother. The new arrival puts everyone on edge as people’s pasts are being brought up and current relationships are being tested. While we’re ultimately left with a sense of hope at the end of the play, there’s truly no telling how long that feeling’s going to last.

McClennan doesn’t shy away from dealing with some very difficult topics in this play, which gives it a grounded and realistic foundation. I was intrigued by how the characters handled the different stigmas around these various topics as well. Depending on the subject, there are varying levels of embarrassment or shame, and it’s not until Blaithin airs out everyone’s dirty laundry that we fully understand what the family has been going through. I enjoyed that there were cultural references to specifically Irish issues, like their ancestors being part of the IRA, as it helped to locate the story in time and space.

Bea Postma and Abbey Kruse’s design for A Goat, A Ghost, and A Guinness gives the stage the perfect pub feel. With photos, art, and books adorning the walls (too much if you ask Lorcan), a few tables (one or two are wobbly, of course), and a bar which is definitely not equipped to make Taylor her Aperol Spritz, we all instantaneously know our own favourite pub that looks just like this one.

The Flare Productions has brought together a fabulous cast to tell this story. Holly May, Deebs Franz, and Rachelle Mazzilli star as Grainne, Maura, and Blaithin. May brings an honesty and vulnerability to her character which make her a joy to watch. Franz plays the textbook wild middle child, and yet their softer side to their character is very moving. Mazzilli gives an impressive performance; considering the drama that her character causes, it would be easy to be over-the-top, but her little side comments which lead up to the big blow out made it feel very real. Matthew Nadeau plays Lorcan, Grainne’s husband. He has a very commanding presence and yet we can see how his charm wins Grainne over in the end. Jillian Robinson plays Nat, Blaithin’s fiancee. Robinson brings a sweet, bubbly personality to Nat while also giving her great emotional depth when Nat needs it most. John Luciani plays Rhys with such delightful naïveté and kindness that you can’t help but adore him! Kenneth Lachlan’s Donnell is charismatic and funny, a fixture at the bar despite his and Maura’s on-again-off-again relationship. Kaitlyn Dyer completes the cast as Taylor, the American tourist. Although she says she’s from Milwaukee, there’s a definite valley-girl vibe which she gives off, and Dyer leans into her character’s flirtatious nature perfectly. This is a really cohesive and dynamic cast, and you can tell by the closing number that they’re all genuinely having a great time together.

You won’t want to miss this new play in its original run! Moving and funny, you’ll feel like part of the family at The Goat of Arms. A Goat, A Ghost, and A Guinness is on until May 19th at the Al Green Theatre. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6291603

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Cover Photo: Deebs Franz, Kaitlyn Dyer, Kenneth Lachlan, Rachelle Mazzilli, Jillian Robinson, John Lociani, Holly May, and Matthew Nadeau. Photo by Mairead Canning.

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