‘TRA-la-la-la-la, triangle’ is rarely a happy refrain, least of all when the other man is an in-law and your wife is pregnant. This is only one of the perishing events through which Arthur has to tunnel in his dig to build a house/ new life.
We find out more this Friday 13 at 8pm in No. 69 O’Connell Street this Friday 13 at 8pm. Co-writer and sole performer Declan Mills describes ‘Arthur’s Dig’ as “the story of a couple, Arthur and Jenny, and the difficulties they encounter trying to build their first house”.
It emerges that Arthur’s boss in their shared construction company is also his brother in-law. As happens in recessionary times, the firm goes bust. With his job and income gone, Arthur throws a punch at the wrong man.
“The only thing that [the couple] has in Jenny’s name is a piece of land”. Thus, a decision is made to build, a home hopefully, with Arthur living in a tent and digging to eternity.
“Mostly, this is a story of redemption,” Mills feels. “It shows how delusional a man can be and how practical a woman is.. and that’s what Arthur finds out. Just when things are at their lowest, it gets worse”.
On stage he moves through 11 characters in an energetic performance and some laughs.
Interestingly, Declan Mills’ latest film is 2014’s ‘The Monuments Men’. You may recall this was written, produced and directed by, and starred one George Clooney. “A very generous man and a great organiser,” is Mills conclusion. “His Smokehouse Pictures is a well oiled machine and he has a tremendous team around him”.
Enough history so to rescue Arthur from a solitary life camping on broken dreams? Check his Dig out at www.limetreetheatre.ie or at box office, No. 69 O’Connell Street.
