Be Near Me

The word 'sectarianism' in the description of a theatre production tends to guarantee the attendance of plenty of school groups, but Be Near Me, Ian McDiarmid's adaptation of Andrew O'Hagan's wildly acclaimed novel, will likely be an exception.

This is a defiantly uncompromising, adult piece of theatre that offers a very pessimistic take on division, unification and community values. Furthermore, director John Tiffany doesn't flinch from employing sectarian songs to confrontational effect.

McDiarmid, who also takes the lead role of outsider priest David Anderton, has succeeded not only in distilling the key elements of the novel but also in making the episodes of this somewhat sensational tale fell much less contrived.

He's helped in this by his fellow cast members, in particular Blythe Duff as Father Anderton's modest but formidable housekeeper and sparring partner Mrs Poole, and Richard Madden and Helen Mallon as the local teenagers who lead him astray – or vice versa, depending on one's perspective.

Madden, shorn of his curls and utterly convincing as an untouchable 15-year-old, is unrecognisable as the same actor who appeared in the Globe's Romeo and Juliet and Tom Fool at the Citz. Mallon may wish to expand her CV in similar directions as her exceptional talent for playing troubled teens has seen her cast in three such roles (and all for the NTS) in the past few months.

The contrast between small-town tearaways and Oxford-educated priest inevitably results in plenty of humour, and early interactions between the trio are judged perfectly. Contrary to what might be suggested by the publicity posters, Father Anderton isn't one for moody solo walks along the beach. He's a vibrant, unpredictable and often deliberately provocative character and McDiarmid immerses himself in the role with obvious relish.

However, when things take a more serious turn Mallon still has the ability to make the audience erupt with the raise of a wonderfully expressive eyebrow. It's not that her performance isn't naturalistic; more that the real-life mannerisms of certain sullen Scottish youths are beyond parody, and it's a problem that actors and directors face every time they put them on stage. It'll certainly be interesting to see how English audiences respond.

There are a few elements of Be Near Me that don't quite work. The glamorous Colette O'Neil simply doesn't seem old enough to be McDiarmid's mother, and both her character and that of Mr Poole, played by Benny Young, feel very functional.

However, one element that sounds like it absolutely shouldn't work but in fact really does is the dinner party discussion on US foreign policy tossed into the middle of the play. This brisk exchange of views offers more genuine food for thought than any number of 'war plays' that have earnestly preached to the converted in Scotland over the past few years.

Reviewed at Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock.