Improbable; not likely to be true or to happen. Probable; the revival of Rough Magic’s award-winning musical satire. One of Ireland’s leading independent theatre companies, Rough Magic centres around the development and production of new work for the stage, is all too fitting then, that it should present itself on the festival stage in Scotland’s premiere theatre for new writing, The Traverse.

1941, and English MI5 cryptographer Tristam Faraday is sent to neutral Ireland to investigate suspicious radio broadcasts in Dublin, where the lights shine bright, and Nazi sympathisers are abroad.  Clever though he is, Tristam cannot resist the beautiful and seemingly innocent Philomena who seems to be the centre of the cryptic radio messages. Clues, riddles and crosswords are solved and soon Tristam is finds himself in quite an improbable situation.

Sharp and witty verse, with its tongue firmly in its cheek, this award winning revival is a definite grower, though the subject matter taking a good fifteen minutes to establish itself in the mind, even with the aid of some perky musical numbers such as ‘Be Careful Not To  Patronise The Irish’. Alan Farquharson’s seemingly simple and practical set holds a few surprising treats, and Lynn Parker’s direction around it is flawlessly executed with comfortable flare from all the cast. Excellent timbre from the surprisingly small accompanying band, delicately balancing the more raucous tunes with the lighter Celtic infused ballads.  A clever musical romp through Ireland’s ‘neutral’ WWII, a refreshing crowd-pleaser more than worthy of its Three Irish Theatre Awards.

Running time is approximately two hours and twenty minutes including one fifteen minute interval.

Tickets and information: 0131 228 1404 / www.traverse.co.uk.
Tickets Preview: £9 full price/£4.50 concession and unemployed
Tickets Apex: £11 full price/£7 concession /£4.50 unemployed
Tickets Regular: £15 full price/£10 concession /£4.50 unemployed

Times: Fri 4 Aug, 19.00 (Preview): Sat 5 Aug, 10.45 (Preview): Sun 6 Aug, 14.00 (APEX): Tue 8 Aug, 16.00: Wed 9 Aug, 19.15: Thu 10 Aug, 10.00: Fri 11 Aug, 13.00: Sat 12 Aug, 16.00: Sun 13 Aug, 19.15: Tue 15 Aug, 10.00: Wed 16 Aug, 13.00: Thu 17 Aug, 16.00: Fri 18 Aug, 19.15: Sat 19 Aug, 10.00: Sun 20 Aug, 13.00: Tue 22 Aug, 16.30: Wed 23 Aug, 19.30: Thu 24 Aug, 10.00: Fri 25 Aug, 13.00: Sat 26 Aug, 16.30: Sun 27 Aug, 19.30