Testament review: "Carthy and Tóibín present a version of Mary that sees her wrestling with the tragedies of life"

An all-time Irish literary great with countless awards to his name, throughout his glittering career, Colm Tóibín has written a succession of hugely acclaimed novels. Among them is 2009’s Brooklyn, subsequently adapted into an enormously successful film that received multiple Oscar nominations, including a Best Actress nod for Saoirse Ronan; and 2021’s powerful The Magician, which was named Book of the Year by The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and NPR, before winning the coveted Folio Prize in 2022.

Any fresh work from Tóibín is therefore a major cultural event – and that is most certainly the case for Irish National Opera’s stunning new production of Testament, for which the author has contributed the libretto, working in tandem with the London-born (and twice Grammy-nominated) composer Tarik O’Regan. Adapted from Tóibín's novella The Testament Of Mary, the production offers an intimate and unsettling portrait of Mary in the final years of her life, as she reflects on Jesus’s death.

There is an expectant buzz as Hot Press arrives for Testament’s keenly awaited, sold out premiere at the University of Galway’s packed Bailey Allen Hall.

At the centre of the production is mezzo soprano Sharon Carty, who – dressed primarily in black, but with flashes of blue visible – delivers a remarkable performance as Mary, with her haunting vocals to the fore. Boasting virtuoso direction from Rachel Hewer, Testament is a marvellously immersive and captivating experience.

It presents an utterly different image of Mary to the religious iconography with which we are familiar. As she grieves openly, not just for the son she has lost tragically to a brutal crucifixion, but also for the husband she has lost, and who is one of history’s forgotten men we realise: this was a family, with a wife and mother whose son risked all and lost his life, and then left her to carry on into old age. It is the unexpected resentment of Christ she expresses that resonates deeply – and draws understanding and sympathy from an audience that is taken through the full gamut of emotions.

Alongside the performances, equally impressive are the costumes, lighting and set design, which give the production a wonderfully atmospheric feel. Throughout, Carty and the other cast members – including baritone David Kennedy and tenors Oisín O Dalaigh and Ben Escorcio – navigate an amphitheatre-shaped stage that includes a broken cross and gravel pit.

The coup de grace is the circular mirror above, suspended from wires and rotated throughout to provide the audience with different perspectives on the action. Underpinning the story is the music from composer O’Regan, which masterfully blends flute, cello, violin and accordion to truly intense effect.

Shifting between immediate experience and the mercurial well of memory, Testament proves a deeply compelling exploration of grief, exile and the contested nature of truth. Overall, it has expanded on Tóibín's original story in a strikingly imaginative and dramatic way.

For those seeking a cultural experience that both entertains and provokes, the production’s Dublin run this autumn is an absolute must. Bravo!

• Testament runs at the Gaiety as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival from October 8-10.

A post shared by Irish National Opera (@irishnationalopera)