Immigration debate brought to the Irish kitchen table in new play ADRIFT at Longford's Backstage Theatre

WHAT happens when the national debate around immigration becomes a deeply personal family affair? That is the question at the heart of ADRIFT, Deirdre Kinahan’s compelling new play which made its debut at Backstage Theatre in Longford this week.

Blending fierce humour with moments of genuine unease, the production explores Ireland’s changing attitudes towards immigration through the tensions and contradictions of one rural family.

The play also examines many complex topics and issues such as family dynamics, immigration and emigration, grief, life in rural Ireland and the impact of family secrets.

ADRIFT centres around a rural Irish family attempting to address their sister’s relationship with a refugee. “There was a time when I knew every face on main street,” says Mona played by Janet Moran who is running as an Independent candidate in the local elections. She brings an energy and liveliness to the stage, portraying the typical hard-working Irish mother who is laden down with responsibility.

Sister Kate played by Bríd Ní Neachtain is the more open-minded of the family, responding; “Yes, and you couldn’t stand half of them!”

The staging of the production is simple yet effective with a long, wooden dining table set up with wine glasses, breadsticks, bread, a rolling pin and a wooden board with slices apples transforming Backstage Theatre into the kitchen of an ordinary rural Irish household. The immersiveness of the play was also quite interesting to observe as some audience members watched ADRFT on stage seated to the left and right of the main action offered by the actors set around a dining room table.

It feels like a normal day in the life of the family as they gather to celebrate Kate’s 60th birthday but siblings Mona and John played by John Olohan soon turn attentions to Kate’s what they deem problematic relationship with the refugees who live locally.

ADRIFT also examines the hypocrisy of some viewpoints on immigration, particularly Mona’s as she lived in Australia illegally for a few years and yet feels very threatened by the presence of refugees locally, questioning why Kate’s friend Faias status has not been processed yet.

“I’m sure there are plenty of genuine cases but plenty of scammers,” she remarks.

Kate is a lot more welcoming to the refugees and doesn’t share the same concerns as her siblings, powerfully noting: “Ireland is full and half the houses up the town derelict!”

Along with examining Mona’s experience as an emigrant, the play also highlights how the family’s late brother Conor also emigrated to London and later to the US because he felt there wasn’t a place for him in Ireland and their late grandmother had also had to emigrate to the States many years previously.

Other topical issues highlighted include the housing crisis and long waiting lists for public services and the rising increases in assaults and domestic violence against women.

Mona comments: “There’s a housing crisis... We don’t have the doctors for all these extra people.” However, Kate feels strongly that the refugees are not to blame for these problems, saying: “As if Irish men haven’t been assaulting for generations.”

ADRIFT comes to a close quite naturally with Kate’s refugee friend Faias from Syria arriving with flowers and pringles for her milestone birthday before the family put their differences aside and all sit together at the table with Faias.

ADRIFT runs at Backstage Theatre on Friday and Saturday, November 7 at 8pm, Tickets cost €25 and are available from backstage.ie.