This is a less pretentious show than rivals like Riverdance. It tells the story — or rather, non-story — of two young people who meet and fall in love in County Galway, and spend the rest of their lives separated. Cora remains in Ireland, while Sean moves first to England and then to New York, where he eventually becomes a captain in the police force.
The musical is based on letters that Sean has written to Cora between 1946 and 2001. These we hear as rather complacent voice-overs, and they are punctuated by dance numbers and music based on the story that unfolds.
In addition to Irish dance, there is an imaginative number featuring dustbins, and a cowboy-style hoedown. Sean seems convinced that Cora is his soul-mate, though we never know what Cora wrote back over all these years.
We find out that Sean has married, and has children, and, eventually, grandchildren, and that he finally intends to return to Ireland and see Cora again.
There is a fleeting mention that Cora, too, was married. So — were they really soul-mates? Why didn’t Sean go back and fetch her, or send her a ticket? These questions go answered.
It’s a plot that doesn’t stand close scrutiny, but the show itself is full of life and dancing, with the story engagingly told by singer Ged Graham. The music is well performed by the on-stage band and soloists, and the dance numbers are really terrific.
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