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	Gryphon Venues at the Point Hotel (venue website) Theatre 1-4, 6-11, 13-18, 20-25 Aug, 1:50pm-2:50pm Reviewed by Alice de Cent
Recommended for age 14+ only.  Free and unticketed. No pre-booking required.

A car crash leaves warring married couple, Polly and Ben, fighting for their lives. And in Irreconcilable Differences, at the end of an hour it’s left to the audience to decide which one gets to live… and which they will condemn to die. The pair must now convince the audience why they are more worthy of life by examining their troubled 20-year relationship.

Laura Kelly and Killian Sheridan give convincing and affecting performances, rooting the surreal tale in realism throughout, and keeping the energy high right up until the final line.

Alan Flanagan’s script is emotionally driven, and the dialogue could bear some paring to really make the lines really hit their mark. It does feel at times that the characters have too readily accepted their attempt to duel to the death, and there is room to explore and question the core concept a little more.

To me, the couple seemed unfairly matched in this contest, with Polly’s argument for life leaving Ben without much hope. But the vote on this occasion was closer than I would have predicted, and the show clearly affects people in different ways. It could even cause further battles amongst audience members who disagree with others’ judgements.

Irreconcilable Differences is a traditional drama with a twist, well-acted and with an interesting concept. Although it’s perhaps a little under-developed, it is evidently adept at causing controversy.