Noctú

Perhaps if it didn't promise so much, "Noctú" wouldn't be such a great disappointment. The embarrassingly awful show is conceived and directed by former "Riverdance" principal dancer Breandán de Gallaí, who explains in program notes that the production "aims to push the boundaries of the Irish dance tradition"; he calls it "a new departure for the Irish dance show genre" that will "deliver powerful performances through text and dance." Unfortunately, "Noctú" is and does none of the above.

Instead, it offers a string of Irish dance routines, many performed in the precision ensemble fashion of "Riverdance" and others consisting of solos in which skilled dancers season their well-executed Irish steps with feeble attempts at modern dance–like movements. One wonders how such expert Irish dancers can be so inept at performing movements from other genres and so unpersuasive when they try to imbue their dancing with acting. Their big, happy smiles, alternating with pained expressions, zombielike stares, and stern glaring at the floor, convey nothing. And why is the choreography (presumably by de Gallaí) of the Irish steps and patterns in the group numbers so well crafted while the non-Irish movements consist of nothing more than chest contractions, heel bounces in lunge positions, overhead arm stretches, and some silly pantomimed actions?

The entire show is marred by its creators' lack of imagination and inability to capture an audience's interest. Even the costumes and lighting are uninspired. The short passages of text that motivate the solo dances are artless attempts to express two highly unoriginal ideas, both of which have been explored more convincingly and meaningfully in a host of other dance and theater pieces: the frustrations of those who love to dance but are constantly told they are not good enough and the plight of young male dancers tagged as gay and taunted by name-calling peers.

Despite the exemplary Irish dancing, the production's young cast, naive themes, and unsophisticated interpretations of pop music selections (reminiscent of those lyrical jazz routines popular at dance competitions) give it a juvenile quality that feels out of sync with its Off-Broadway audience. "Noctú" is not the kind of show one expects to see at the esteemed Irish Repertory Theatre. While boundary pushing is often a good thing—and Irish dance shows might well benefit from it—this production is pushing in the wrong direction.

Presented by and at the Irish Repertory Theatre, 132 W. 22nd St., NYC. Sept. 12–Oct. 2. Tue.–Sat., 8 p.m.; Wed., Sat., and Sun., 3 p.m. (212) 727-2737 or www.irishrep.org.