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Disco Pigs
Empire
October 2001
By Patrick Peters
2 out of 5 stars
Plot
Inseparable since birth with almost telepathic communication between them teenagers, Pig and Runt, live in their insular private world becoming more dysfunctional by the minute.
Review
Inseparable since birth, Pig (Murphy) and Runt (Cassidy) share a secret language and a sense of isolation that only retreat to a fantasy kingdom can relieve. However, these enfants terribles have reached such a heightened state of alienation that there's only one way to go, and there's little that debutant Kirsten Sheridan's stylized imagery can do to prevent this descent into hysterical hostility from becoming thuddingly predictable.
Although Enda Walsh has considerably opened out his stage play, the mix of Cork slang and baby talk still sounds stilted. Moreover, the couple's indivisibility never quite convinces, despite the impressive power of Murphy's short-fused derangement and Cassidy's bemused romanticism.
Verdict
The performances are strong, particularly that of Cassidy, who exudes a strangely ethereal sexuality. The made-up language of thick Cork slang and baby-talk may grate at times, but this is worth a look for its leads and the odd off-the-wall moment, such as Pig's schoolmate's trick with a paper doily.
