Shroud is a short play telling the story of two Catholic priests and their Bishop as they search for ways to save themselves, and above all else, protect the church they serve.

The entire play feels like a race against time as Father Martin tries desperately to hide what he’s done, in vain, as the piece races toward its inevitable conclusion. Coming in at just 80 minutes long, without an interval, Shroud is just the right length.

The play tackles a dark subject matter deftly and sensitively, never straying into melodrama, and the simplicity of the staging allows the script to unfold and cause more of an impact.

The play does take its time to get started and the opening few minutes are a bit confusing, not helped by the character of JP marching around the stage rather noisily. It’s difficult for the audience to get a handle of exactly what is going on, but stick with it and everything soon becomes clear.

Shroud is at its strongest in the middle section of the play with a memorable back and forth between Father Martin and the Bishop as they discuss the confessions they have just witnessed. Here, we begin to learn just how far the church is prepared to go to protect itself, with the revelation that Father Martin is just as bad as the missing Father Jonathan and is also abusing young boys. At this point, one might expect the Bishop to at least react with some horror, instead he shrugs it off, more concerned with returning home in time for his dinner than dealing properly with what the priest has just confessed. Whilst this reaction might reflect real attitudes within the church, it is also one of the weakest points of the play and the plot. It is clear that both Father Jonathan and Father Martin are monstrous people and they are supposed to be the ‘villains’ of the piece, but with his indifferent reaction the Bishop, already an unlikeable character, proves himself to also be an awful human being, which leaves the audience with a problem, we have no one to root for or get behind.

There are two other characters in the play but their impacts are minimal. For example, the mother could’ve been introduced much sooner, rather than be reduced to a thirty second appearance right at the end. JP is introduced as a character who “doesn’t understand English”, he definitely does as he proves throughout the play whenever another character speaks to him. Claiming he doesn’t understand feels more like an excuse, an easy way to get out of giving him much to do or forming opinions of his own about the events of the play, with the result that the character really could’ve been removed and it would have had little effect on the play.

Shroud is a very ‘wordy’ play and the cast, which includes Annabel Cleare, Bernard Field, Fintan Kelly, Michael Irwin and John McDonagh, handle it well, guiding us through as it builds to its final climax.

It is directed by Jim Ivers and written by Bernard Field, with set and costumes by Iris Merz and lighting and sound by Colm Ivers.

Overall, Shroud is a solid play and we would recommend people go along to The Playground Theatre (which is a great little theatre in a former bus terminal) to show it some support.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Amy Louise

Shroud runs at the Playground Theatre until 5 March, with tickets available here.