Theatre review: The Blue Boy, Everyman, Cork

Presenting a piece of theatre about the violent and sexual abuse of children incarcerated in Catholic residential care institutions is a challenge on many levels given the repulsive nature of the subject matter. But Brokentalkers theatre company has found a way of telling Ireland’s shameful story that is theatrically innovative and so multi-faceted that the audience was riveted.

The show combines choreography with live music, film footage and recorded testimonies from people subjected to gross ill treatment in these institutions. Five performers wear uniforms and flesh-coloured masks that make them look distorted and alien, their individuality wiped out. They never speak but sometimes move in unison, in a regimented way. Other times, these figures are like puppets, manipulated and tossed around, reflecting the powerlessness of the captive children.