Standing in Lifts with Strangers has been receiving positive reviews since its premiere last month. A dark comedy taking place at the afters of an Irish funeral, audiences wouldn't be wrong to expect a brand of offbeat comedy that is ever present in various Irish scenarios, particularly moments of hardship.
The show follows two women, played by the show's creator Jennifer Laverty alongside Nessa Matthews, who have had their share of vodka.
The two women, who go from being strangers to having a sense of intimacy and closeness as they open up about a myriad of topics, provide the audience with plenty of drama partnered with offbeat comedy one would expect from the afters at a funeral.
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Jennifer spoke to Dublin Live about the show and gave us a taste of what we might expect from it.
She told us: "It's unusual, high emotional circumstances. It's quite a naturalistic play.
"The conversation is quite identifiable. We've all been in that situation where it's quite late at night and we've had a long emotional day. We encounter a new person who we decide to open up to. That's the premise of the whole thing."
Standing in Lifts with Strangers is the first play to emerge from the inaugural Bewley's Percolate Programme, a support initiative for Irish playwrights that Bewley's Cafe Theatre started during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jennifer Laverty was one of seven playwrights selected to take part in the two-year programme, which involved workshops, talks and collaboration with a panel of artistic advisers with a variety of experience and expertise.
Jennifer added: "People are reacting to it really well. Irish people have a really dark sense of humour. At Irish funerals, people are laughing, reminiscing and telling stories. The quirkiness of it is very Irish."
Standing in Lifts with Strangers is running in Bewley's Cafe Theatre on Grafton Street until May 21. Performances start at 1pm.
Tickets cost €10 to €15 plus booking fee and are available here.
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