A pair of improbably ancient Irish characters make their way across a surrealistic landscape on a slapstick mission in Mark Doherty's Trad at the Garage Theatre in Teaneck. The hysterical spin on traditional Irish drama will run Thursdays through Sundays at the Becton Theatre on the Campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University, 960 River Road, Teaneck.
When 100-year-old Thomas mentions to his even-more ancient Da that he'd fathered a child 70 years before, Da insists that the pair track down this last link in the family chain. Before you can say "Hope and Crosby", the pair is on the road on a trip through the Irish countryside, an odyssey that is hilarious, touching, and bittersweet. Touches of Beckett, O'Neil, Homer and Laurel and Hardy make Trad a remarkably engaging — if befuddling – fable of family, growing up and moving on.
Mark Doherty's Trad (short for "tradition") started life as a radio play in the UK and was awarded 2004 BBC Radio Award. Since then, the piece has grown into a fully-realized play of surprising power. Under Michael Bias' direction, the physical comedy is broad, the verbal comedy is sharp, and the staging is appropriately stark.
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Trad features a stellar cast of New Jersey-based actors, familiar to theatre goers throughout the Tri-state area and veterans of previous Garage productions. Westwood resident Thom Molyneaux last performed at The Garage Theatre Group in 2007 in the critically acclaimed Porcelain. Leonia resident, Roland Johnson and Waldwick resident Thomas Layman were both seen earlier this season in Table Manners.
As with every Main Stage production at the Garage Theatre, Trad will feature post-performance "talk backs" among the director, some of the cast and audience.
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As part of its continuing commitment to making theatre available to all, Garage is offering several special opportunities to see Trad. The Sunday, April 22 performance is "Pay What You Can Day" for any tickets available at the door. Thursday nights are Bergen County Nights. A limited number of half-price tickets are available to Bergen County residents for these performances. (Reservations are strongly suggested and identification is required.) Student Rush is available for all performances. At curtain time, any unsold tickets will be made available for $15 to anyone with a valid student ID.
Trad will be performed at the Becton Theatre April 19 through May 6. Thursday through Saturday performances are at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 3 p.m. Tickets are $37 ($32 for students and seniors). Tickets are available at 201-569-7710 and online at www.garagetheatre.org
