The Lesson

It might only last an hour, but even conscientious students of European theatre may find themselves desperate for the bell to ring during The Lesson, Eugene Ionesco's absurdist comedy about a deranged tutor (Peter Clerke) stuck in a destructive rut.

The 1951 playlet starts off promisingly enough, with a sprinkling of titters greeting the failure of Kirstin McLean's eager pupil to grasp basic maths.

However, what follows is a serious test to the patience of the audience ' including those initially engaged by the notion of a philosophical approach to subtraction, and intrigued by what the playwright might have been trying to communicate about education, language and humanity in general.

In the programme notes director Gerry Mulgrew recalls the first time he saw the play, which was more than 20 years ago. While his three-strong cast (completed by Catherine Gillard as the maid) throw themselves gamely into the proceedings, it's difficult to imagine anyone saying the same about this production in the 2030s.

Ionesco described works including The Lesson as 'anti-plays', and the description seems apt if the ingredients for a play are thought to be plot, characters and dramatic tension. Those seeking out something challenging will find it here - everyone else is likely to find nothing but frustration.