by Tim Leininger

(photo credit: Carol Rosegg, courtesy of Irish Rep)

            There’s an old adage, probably cliched at this point, that “revenge is a dish best served cold.” But when passion finds its way in to heat up that revenge, things don’t turn out as planned. Such is the case with Leo McGann’s new play, The Honey Trap, directed by Matt Torney and making its New York premiere off-Broadway at Irish Repertory Theatre at 132 W. 22^nd St., in New York City through Nov. 23.

            To dare putting two adages into one review, a honey trap plays on the adage, “you attract more flies with honey than vinegar.” The implication is that if you want to draw attention from something you don’t like, like flies, seduce them with something sweet versus something they would find repulsive. The play’s protagonist, Dave (Michael Hayden) has been struggling with this having happened to him and a friend of his for 45 years. The play opens with him being interviewed by U.S. journalist Emily (Molly Ranson) for a feature on the Troubles and the conflicts in Northern Ireland, specifically in Belfast in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Dave isn’t Irish. He was a part of the British military at the time who was stationed in Belfast to maintain order during the conflict.

            Throughout the play, we routinely flashback to 1979 where Young Dave (Daniel Marconi), meets Bobby (Harrison Tipping) while stationed in Belfast. The two quickly become friends and while hanging out at a bar after their shift, meet two Irish women, Kirsty (Doireann Mac Mahon) and Lisa (Annabelle Zasowski). Dave leaves Bobby with the two women, only to later find out that Bobby was murdered.

(photo credit: Carol Rosegg, courtesy of Irish Rep)

            Dave suspects Emily has information on what happened to Bobby. His pursuit for the truth leads him back to Belfast where he meets Sonia (Samantha Mathis), who may have the answers he’s looking for.

            The Honey Trap takes a look at the Troubles from a point of view that is often not considered, which is from the boots on the ground British soldiers who were not wanted there but had a job to do regardless. They are far from being presented as saints, or even purely peacekeepers. Even Dave and Bobby’s actions during the flashbacks show that they also have a lack of value toward human. This show the complex nature of what was going on a micro political level, and why the conflict lasted for as long as it did. What good are “peacekeeping” British troops from the perspective of the IRA or UVF when the troops only exacerbate the conflict? I don’t feel like McGann is attempting to point a finger at anyone specifically here. As he says in his note to the audience in the show’s program, he wanted to bring the third party of the conflict, the British, to the forefront.

            For the most part, the story works. The concept of the titular honey trap, here being the IRA using women to attract men into their unsuspecting deaths, is definitely engaging and would definitely inflict a massive degree of guilt for anyone like Dave who thinks it’s his fault that his friend fell into the trap. Hayden’s performance of Dave is tumultuous as he is racked with guilt mixed with an embedded seeding of vengeance that now has chance to flower. When he meets Sonia, a third emotion of passion and lust starts to mix in. Mathis, meanwhile, plays Sonia with a mix of curiosity and trepidation as she learns more of who David is after he comes into her coffee shop that she runs in Belfast.

(photo credit: Carol Rosegg, courtesy of Irish Rep)

            The play’s climax feeds on that stirring tension between the two, between the erotic and the vengeful. The play’s ending is a bit ambiguous, but I think that if you trust your instincts, based upon the play’s final flashback, you know what the ending really is, even if we don’t see it.

            Some people may rail against the ending, and it’s okay if you’re one of them. It’s not the biggest mystery of the play as far as I’m concerned. For me, it is the character of Emily. It feels like McGann is trying to have his cake and eat it too here with her, and credit to Ranson for playing the role so ambiguously. Is she affiliated with the IRA or is she just a journalist trying to do her job and is a little sloppy with securing her research? Once the first act ends, Emily is never to be seen again. We never get those questions answered and I feel that she has more to offer to the story. Whether intentional or not, she is complicit in how the rest of the play carries out, and I think some sort of coda for her character would have addressed the complicit nature of journalism, for good or bad. She’s an interesting character and I would have liked to see where she went from there.

            The present-day scenes are excellent. The performances are all layered and detailed, and the tension builds with meticulous detail. It’s the flashbacks that are lacking. This mostly falls on the general frivolousness of Young Dave and Bobby. There is a scene where they talk about the violence that happens, but it doesn’t carry the same gravity of the present-day scenes. I think a lot of it falls on that it’s been over 45 years since the incident and there’s not much context as to who Dave has been over those 45 years, and we as an audience choose what period of time we want to be more invested in, and since we know pretty early what happens in the flashbacks, there’s not much tension.

(photo credit: Carol Rosegg, courtesy of Irish Rep)

            What does help elevate the flashbacks is the design. Charlie Corcoran’s scenic design, Sarita Fellows’ costume design, Michael Gottlieb’s lighting design, and James Garver’s sound design all come together to create an atmosphere of electric tension as we get war torn moments of Dave and Bobby in riot gear maneuvering through graffitied walled rooms and then in casual 1970s wear as they flirt with Kirsty and Lisa in a dimly lit bar.

            The Honey Trap is thrilling drama. I think some of the characters could have used a little more developing, particularly the flashback sequences and Emily, but the present-day drama, like an exposed power line, snaps with electricity and tension.

THE HONEY TRAP

TICKETS: https://irishrep.org/

PRODUCTION

Written by Leo McGann

Directed by Matt Torney

Scenic Design: Charlie Corcoran

Costume Design: Sarita Fellows

Lighting Design: Michael Gottlieb

Sound Design: James Garver

Wig and Hair Design: Tommy Kurzman

Properties: Nicole Rozanski

Dialect Coach: Jane Guyer Fujita

Production Stage Manager: April Ann Kline

Assistant Stage Manager: Pam Brusoski

Assistant Costume Design: Matthew Lott

Fight Consultant: Rick Sordelet

Intimacy Consultant: Prather Rehm

Press Representative: Print Shop PR

Casting Director: Geoff Josselson, CSA

Managing Director: Lisa Fane

CAST

Michael Hayden as Dave

Molly Ranson as Emily

Harrison Tipping as Bobby

Daniel Marconi as Young Dave

Dorieann Mac Mahon as Kirsty

Annabelle Zasowski as Lisa

Samantha Mathis as Sonia