You can't help thinking that the tranquil surroundings of the Georgian House are missing some noise and action but until June 28, the restored property will come alive at night with the exploits of body snatchers and bumbling heroes.

The house in Pery Square is the unique setting for self-billed 'comic romp' in the form of the new play—'Buck Jones and the Body Snatchers' by Ken Bourke.

Set in Ireland in 1798, the lavish costume comedy/drama follows magistrate, Buck Jones, as he attempts to get the recently interred body of his father-in-law back from the possession of his arch-rival and body-snatcher, Larry Clinch.

But this can't pass without an extra marital affair, an illegitimate child, a woman intent on bloody revenge and more than a few scrapes and wild goose chases.

The audience physically follows all the action—and there is more than the average play—as it takes place in different parts of the period house including the drawing room, the garden, the coach house and the basement.

The play runs feverishly from scene to scene, as do the cast, who are all playing two roles each. The cast—including Dónall Farmer, Paul Meade, Róisin Gribbin, Denis Foley and Gene Rooney—are very funny, animated and seem to be enjoying the play so much that the enthusiasm rubs off on the audience.

The story and plot lead the audience down as many corridors as the stewards but every scene is delivered with exaggerated charm and the jokes too obvious to miss.

The play is produced and directed by Joan Sheehy and at two and a half hours long, her hard work is obvious in how smoothly it runs.

It's not setting out to break the boundaries of theatre but instead plays on the best elements and clichés of various genres. It still manages to be both unique and imaginative in its script, setting and staging.

It's part comedy, part theatrical farce and part vintage boys' comic and a lot of fun to watch but one thing that 'Buck Jones and the Body Snatchers' fails completely to be is: boring.

'Buck Jones and the Body Snatchers' runs Monday to Saturday at 8pm nightly. Tickets cost €18/€15 (conc.) and booking is on 061-314130.

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