NEW YORK—Coming to terms with the past is not always easy, as playwright Hugh Leonard shows in his stirring, but sometimes unsatisfying play “Da,” presented by The Irish Repertory Theatre.
Charlie (Ciaran O‘Reilly), a middle-aged man, has returned to his hometown of Dublin following the death of his father, or “Da” (Paul O’Brien). The pair’s relationship had been strained for decades.
Da continually gave his opinions and offers of help, even when clearly not wanted. These efforts ranged from trying to refresh his son’s cup of tea to his worldview on Hitler and revelations on Charlie’s parentage.
O'Brien does an excellent job in showing Da to be a wonderfully multilayered individual.
