Playwright: Owen McCafferty. At: Seanachai Theatre at the Artistic Home, 3914 N. Clark. Phone: 773-878-3727; $26. Runs through: Dec. 6
Mojo Mickybo is a tour de force for actors Robert Kauzleric and Dan Waller, who almost redeem the predictability of playwright Owen McCafferty's story of innocence lost in 1970 Belfast. When the writing veers into precious-bordering-on-twee ( as it often does ) , it's the performances that keep things from becoming as saccharine sweet as a Hallmark moment.
Directed by Jeff Christian, Kauzleric and Waller portray 17 characters between them, each one of them sharply etched. The thick Belfast accents are perhaps a bit too accurateIt took several scenes for our ears to adjust enough to be able to make out most of the dialogue. The bulk of that dialogue belongs to youngsters Mojo ( Kauzleric ) and Mickybo ( Waller ) , 10-year-old boys who meet on a slow, hot afternoon and strike up an instant, intense friendship. Since Mojo is Protestant and Mickybo is Catholic, it's clear early on that in this time of the Troubles, only sadness will come of this friendship. But before the sadness, McCafferty details an idyllic if impoverished boy's life and a fine gallery of neighborhood personalities.
Roaming the streets of Belfastskipping stones, rolling down hills, digging holes to China, taunting the neighborhood thugsthe two become thick as thieves. It's a Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer in Erin, with a bit of Dickensian poverty and idiosyncratic adult folk thrown in. There's also a good deal of William Goldman and George Roy Hill, the writer and director of the 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
When the film comes to the local movie house, Mojo and Mickybo are transfixed. A truly wonderful highlight of the 70-minute piece comes as the two watch it in awed silence.With key quotes forming an aural collage in the background ( "Who are those guys?" ) , the boys register are a mix of hero worship and wistful longinguntil "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" starts tinkling at which point the lads' faces reflect dismay and confused betrayal that their macho idols could act like such softies.