The Irish Giant

Synopsis

Set in the 1780s against the backdrop of the Enlightenment, when science and faith found themselves on a collision course. The Irish Giant is based on the story of Charles Byrne, Georgian London's biggest star, an eight-foot tall Irishman whose body is coveted by visionary anatomist John Hunter, a man obsessed with life, death and abnormal bodies. Plunging its bloody hands into history, The Irish Giant explores the ethics of who owns our bodies, who should - and what life, if any, awaits us after death? The story of Charles Byrne remains controversial today - 250 years on, campaigners have recently demanded that his body be retrieved from London's Hunterian Museum and given the burial at sea that Byrne sought.

Our Review:

Mary Mazzilli - 25 May 2012

Cartoon de Salvo’s The Irish Giant is a story of religion versus science, of saving one’s soul versus scientific curiosity. Set in 18th-century Britain, the story concerns Charles Byrne (Neil Haigh), an Irishman who has become a phenomenon in London thanks to his extraordinary height.

John Hunter (Brian Logan) is a surgeon obsessed with dissection; always on the look for a new specimen to add to his collection, he tries to kidnap – and kill – Charles, with help from Mr Harrison (Alex Murdoch). The giant, however, is not ready to die. A deeply faithful, if somewhat simple, man, he is worried about his soul and does not want his body used for dissection.

Cartoon de Salvo has a reputation for devised work that combines story-telling, live music and improv; it also call itself the UK’s number one contemporary folk theatre company. This production is certainly witness to the team's ability to combine different art forms...

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