Marjorie’s Dead – mixing laughs and legend in this tale of a woman who lived once, buried twice (Dark Forest Theatre at Grand Opera House until Saturday 8 November)

Marjorie McCall’s husband is the local doctor. John wasn’t able to properly diagnose or cure the sudden illness that cut her young life short. The undertakers don’t quite finish the job, leaving the coffin above ground and covered in an eighteenth-century tarpaulin. They’ll come back later after a few scoops at the local hostelry. In the meantime, graverobbers fancy their chances selling her wedding ring.

Starting at the wake house – quite a familiar device in Belfast theatre! – the fourth wall-breaking Marjorie’s Dead soon unravels the backstory of how this woman ended up with an overbearing husband who didn’t share her vision of an island steeped in folklore and wonder. She believes in spirits, rejoices in the beautifully rich landscapes, marvels at legends. Yet she’s about to become a legend herself: the Lurgan woman who was buried twice.

Dark Forest Theatre love lifting the lid on family secrets.Nathan Martin’s take on the premature burial of Marjorie McCall weaves her story around that of Oisín and Tir na nÓg. Through her astute brother Cian (played by Martin) we hear how Marjorie came to be lying in a rural forest burial plot. Through her logical and disrespectful husband John (Tiarnán McCarron) we understand how she became trapped in a marriage with a monster.

Thursday’s matinee audience did a good job of picking up the social commentary and there was much tutting and sharp intakes of breath in moments when John took decisions on behalf of Marjorie (like deciding to marry her, his proposal lacking a question mark) and when he revealed the chillier side to his character. And there were laughs when truth was spoken:

“Be careful Mr McCall, you’re speaking to a Lurgan woman!”

The nature of this three-handed play requires Annina Noelle Watton to deliver a series of lengthy monologues, alone with just a couple of beautiful trees and some stumps to work with. While there’s a lot of material to get through, and there’s a lot of attention taken to creating and preserving the sense of atmosphere, parts of the delivery would benefit from being less rushed and given more space to breathe. Marjorie interprets her life against the unfolding tale of Oisín (differentiated from the main action by being performed stage right) which gives depth to the thin details known about the circumstances of her life and deaths.

Marjorie’s Dead mixes laughs and legend. McCarron and Martin (who also directs) make a good comedy double act. Watton is solid as the titular character, although there would be room to ramp up the more bohemian side to the character to emphasise her otherworldly nature. The short run in the Grand Opera House studio space sold well and finishes this evening. Dark Forest Theatre continues to demonstrate its talent in relating tales of the unexpected.

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