Heaven (Qtopia) ★★★½

Written by Eugene O’Brien. Presented by Bitchen Wolf. Qtopia Loading Dock. 14-31 May, 2025.

Less of a two-hander and more two interwoven monologues, Eugene O’Brien’s award-winning Heaven is a later-in-life tale of self-discovery firmly rooted in character.

Middle-aged married couple Mairead (Lucy Miller) and Mal (Noel Hodda) are attending a wedding. Mairead wonders what her whole 50-plus years of life have been leading to. Is this it? A daughter she despises and a passionless marriage? Mal thinks about the roads untaken and his sensual curiosity about lithe, long-haired young men who look a bit like Jesus. Over the course of the weekend, they both take chances that open up their lives to new possibilities.

Kate Gaul’s production keeps things simple and focused. This play is all about the charisma of the two performers, with nothing to distract you, and is the better for it. Miller is dynamic as the rough and fiery Mairead—the slightly larger role of the two. Balancing her is Hodda’s charming, bumbling Mal, who goes on a wilder adventure. As their two stories move in parallel, there is a clear love between them, but that love is not giving either of them what they need at this stage. Gaul keeps them both moving around the small space, filled with an internal energy that refuses to let either of them sit still for long.

O’Brien’s writing is rich and detailed, but at times the wall of text (with strong Irish accents) threatens to become overwhelming. With lesser performers, it would. While the two characters often inhabit the same stage space, they never interact with each other, instead speaking their internal thoughts directly to the audience. So be prepared for some direct contact as you watch the show.

What makes Heaven work are the interesting little details. From Mairead’s dislike of her own daughter to Mal’s bittersweet longing, each feels nicely specific, saving the play from retreading tropes of ‘late bloomer coming out’ stories (although there is some of that to be found). The closing moments bring the whole show home, leaving us with a pleasant ambiguity.

Heaven is a dual character study where the details of plot are less relevant than the exploration of these two people admitting what they really want out of life. Non-judgemental in tone, the play lets them roam free without the need for definitive judgements at the end.