Cavalcaders

Billy Roche’s ‘The Cavalcaders’ looks at the lives and loves of four likely lads in contemporary Ireland.-
Terry (Patrick Dickson) Rory (John O’Hare), Ted (Sean O’Shea) and Josie (Danny Adcock) work in an old fashioned cobbler’s store. By day they mend shoes, by night they are the cavalcaders, stars of the local charity circuit.
Two local women, Breda (Jeanette Cronin), an ex of Terry’s and Nuala (Susan Prior), Terry’s current girlfriend, are regular visitors to the store.

‘The Cavalcaders’ was a deceptive piece of entertainment. For the first while I thought this was going to be a comfortable nights’ entertainment. Some Irish lads sitting around, sharing plenty of anecdotes, doing some folksy stuff, and even breaking into some song and dance. Good fireside entertainment.

Playwright Roche’s intentions were more than folksy. ‘The Cavalcaders’ also featured a tragic love story between Terry and Nuala. Terry came across as an emotionally crippled man. Hurt and betrayed in love when he was young Terry never lets any woman get close to him. With Patrick Dickson’s portrayal Terry is a character full of charm on the outside, but thorny once you get to know him.

Contrasted with Terry is Nuala, who wears her heart on her sleeve. A pretty, vivacious young woman she wants Terry or nothing. When Terry rejects her, she doesn’t have the emotional maturity to handle it. Susan Prior plays Nuala with her outer shell full of sensuality and bravado yet her inner core as thin as tissue paper.