Howie The Rookie , Red Stitch, March 18, 2011

Howie The Rookie  

HOWIE THE ROOKIE, Red Stitch Theatre, until April 16.

• Kate Herbert
• From: Herald Sun
• Published: March 29, 2011 12:00AM 
• Reviewed March 18, 2011

Award-winning play is dark and dangerous

THE streets of Dublin are dank and dangerous and the characters violent, unpredictable and hilarious in Mark O'Rowe's award-winning play Howie The Rookie. 

 The language is Irish vernacular, lingering between offensive vulgarity, comedy and lyricism. O’Rowe’s writing is thrilling and inspired, using language to conjure a vivid, poverty-stricken, urban landscape and a parade of eccentric characters.

Director, Greg Carroll, and his two actors (Paul Ashcroft, Tim Ross) make this a fine, compelling and challenging production, with muscular, barely-contained physicality and poignant performances.

Two tough, young men, members of Dublin’s underclass, shock, horrify and entertain us with their gritty stories that tilt between comedy and tragedy. Each is alone on stage.

Ashcroft gives a powerfully physical and sympathetic portrayal of The Howie Lee, a street thug in pursuit of a fight, booze and girls. His wild violent rampage turns into a family tragedy.

Ross plays The Rookie Lee, a handsome rogue who finds himself pursued by both Howie and his pals and a Dublin crim. The lives of Howie and the Rookie collide over two nights in perilous ways that neither could predict. The play is intense, brutal and not for the timid – but you must see it.

Stars: * * * * 1/2

Review: Howie The Rookie, Red Stitch Actors Theatre

• From: Herald Sun
• March 25, 2011 2:22PM

THE streets of Dublin are dank and dangerous and the characters violent and hilarious in Mark O'Rowe's award-winning play, Howie the Rookie.

O'Rowe's writing is thrilling and inspired, using language to conjure a vivid, poverty-stricken, urban landscape and a parade of eccentric characters.

Director Greg Carroll and his two actors (Paul Ashcroft, Tim Ross) make this a compelling production with muscular, and poignant performances.

Ashcroft plays The Howie Lee, a thug in pursuit of a fight, booze and girls whose wild rampage turns into a family tragedy.

Ross plays The Rookie Lee, a handsome rogue who finds himself pursued by both Howie and his pals and a Dublin crim. Their lives collide over two nights in ways neither can predict.

Intense, brutal and not for the timid, Howie The Rookie is a must-see.

THEATRE

HOWIE THE ROOKIE, Red Stitch Actors Theatre, until April 16

Stars: 4.5