Last week THEATREclub’s Theatre Machine Turns You On Vol. II took up residency in the Project Arts Centre in Temple Bar with no less than 4 shows a night for 5 nights.

On Thursday the smashing bunch from Devious Theatre in Kilkenny brought their production Scratcher to a Dublin audience for the first time.

Not an easy feat cutting your theatre cloth to suit your measure when it means trimming a 60mins + production into less than 45 but they did it and did it well with fantastic performances by the all the cast.

Scratcher is very much of the moment – a snapshot of the dole queue as a slice of life for many living or trying to make one in Ireland in 2011. The college graduate who just wants to get that first foot on the career ladder, the builder who won and lost in the property gamble to the civil servant behind the screen just doing his job as he always has and more.

Is it time for revolution? Do we care enough to make a stand? Or should we bother? Is it every many for himself or time to band together shoulder to shoulder?

This condensed production of Scratcher was fast, sharp, funny and thoroughly entertaining despite the real and gloomy subject matter. I can imagine that parts of the piece will do better when allowed to breathe with the original running time restored when it hits Kilkenny this week.

I would love to be able to catch it but I don’t think I’ll be able to unless the teleporter kicks into action this week. It hits No. 76 John Street from Feb 22nd – 26th at 8pm. Tickets are a steal at €12 and on sale via the website and the Kilkenny Arts Office.

Here’s hoping Dublin sees more of Devious in 2011.