Tryst

15^th February 2019

Selina Begum

Selina Begum

15 February 2019

Steph (Katie McCann) and Matt (Finbarr Doyle) are getting married in a week. There is still a lot to do, and the stress is showing on the couple’s faces, as Matt wittingly remarks, “I’m not Pinterest, I can’t just turn out tat”. Add to this mix the arrival of their friend Rachel (Clodagh Mooney), who has a big secret to reveal; she is pregnant with Matt’s child, after the trio had a drunken threesome at Steph’s party.

Despite the early revelation, that’s a little predictable in nature, Tryst is a taut and explosive drama that manages to maintain suspense, allowing the audience to invest in its story and the outcome. After Rachel arrives, the dynamics of the characters’ friendship group quickly changes, with the maid of honour principally blamed. Katie Foley’s intimate and minimal set design invites the viewer into the complicated predicament as we empathise with each character, attempting to find a solution to such a complex and sensitive situation.

By the finale, Matt’s desire for Rachel is apparent, as he lived out his fantasy under the guise of a threesome, where his wife would also be present, relinquishing any guilt. Though Tryst is another contemporary drama that provokes the question of whether female characters can only reveal secrets related to pregnancy and sex, it is nevertheless a tense production that brings to light conversations around modern relationships, the lengths people take to obtain happiness and the consequences that arise after impulsive behaviour.

Selina Begum
Photo: Ste Murray

Tryst is at the Cage from 13^th until 17^th February 2019. For further information or to book visit the show’s festival page here.

Read more reviews from our Vault Festival 2019 coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the Vault Festival website here.

Watch the trailer for Tryst here: