Cromwell

Synopsis

A desolate, war-torn landscape becomes the stage for a surreal journey through conflict, ideology, and human nature.

Logan and O’Halloran, two Irish labourers whose attempts to remain neutral in the face of escalating conflict serve as a lens through which the absurdity and futility of war are exposed. As they encounter various factions and ideologies, represented by characters like the zealous Proctor, the revolutionary Cleet, and the innocent Joan, the play explores the cyclical nature of power and the malleability of conviction.

Storey’s dialogue crackles with wit and irony, oscillating between philosophical debate and absurdist humour. The play’s structure, a series of episodic encounters, mirrors the characters’ meandering journey through a fractured society. Themes of loyalty, ideology, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world are woven throughout, as characters continually redefine their allegiances and beliefs. The stark, ever-changing setting—from battlefields to farms to mystical rivers—serves as a metaphor for the shifting moral landscape. Cromwell offers a biting critique of dogmatism and the human tendency to seek simple answers in complex times, ultimately questioning whether true neutrality or conviction is possible in a world of perpetual conflict.