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The Nualas – Older, Wiser, Heftier at the Draiocht Blanchardstown

Review by Emma Ratcliffe

The distinct sound of feminine chatter and laughter flowed through the bleachers nestled between the red walls of the Draiocht’s auditorium on Saturday night. There wasn’t an empty seat in the house. There were, however, very few men to be found in the crowd. Perhaps they were out celebrating Sir Alex Ferguson’s 25th year as manager of the Red Devils, Manchester United, or more than likely avoiding their fear of The Nuala’s unpredictability.

Just as the audience settles comfortably for the show, the lights dim and the three Nualas sashay on stage, loud and proud. One Nuala is blonde, the other brunette and the newest a redhead - something to go by when differentiating the West of Ireland natives. They exude confidence in their trademark geeky spectacles, wearing thigh grazing skin tight red dresses complete with gold sequinned collars and feathered shoulders. Mad as a bag of snakes, it’s easy to see that the daring threesome is delighted to be back after a ten year break.

Brunette Nuala comments, “If Take That, The Stone Roses and Fianna Fáil can make a comeback, so can we!” They begin by interacting with the audience in their own weird and wonderful way, henpecking the men and flashing some leg, as well as giving the audience a peek at their lump and bump smoothing Spanx underwear, they credit as adding to how fabulous they look. Not to mention their favourite waxing salon they paid a visit to earlier in the day, ‘The Flip and Rip’, for some essential pre performance de-fuzzing.

Formed in 1995, the all-singing eccentric trio were comprised of its two long standing and present members, Anne Gildea and Susan Collins, as well as third member, guitar player Karen Egan. Egan left in 1998, reasons undisclosed, and she was replaced by three various members over the years (Suzannah DeWrixon, Tara Flynn and Josephine O’Reilly.) From 1995 to 2001, the troupe was a breath of fresh air on the comedy scene, with an original side-splitting act complete with a certain gruesome honesty that paved the way for their success. Since reforming earlier this year with Maria Tecce adapting the role of the newest Nuala, they’re back with some sharp new songs, as well as the classics, with some hilarious ‘words of wisdom’ along the way they are sharing kindly with the audience after some rather dubious life experience.

Mics at the ready and posing perfected, The Nualas start with one of their classics, ‘Michael Kilbride’, with unexpected sweet harmonisation, they sing about a boy they knew when they were younger, a ‘mucker’, who dressed in grungy clothes and lied about attending a concert up in Dublin, which they refer to as The Big Smoke, when he was really there to see a psychiatrist. Next up, with their legs akimbo, the derailed dames perform a bluesy number, ‘Yummy Mummy Recession Blues,’ where they sing about a woman who had it all then lost it all, making fun of shopaholic tanorexic mothers who left their children with immigrant nannies for the highlife, before losing it all to the recession. They finish this tune with chimpanzee chirps with the audience erupting in laughter, eager for more.  

Between each song, the trio made sharp one liners, insisting Lady Gaga stole their style. All three ladies agree that with age, they now enjoy the simple things in life – men. The Nualas showed impressive range, performing a country and western number, a song with a Spanish feel with fast paced chords about a holiday romance gone wrong; all while making fun of today’s pop stars today and serenading the audience with a love song about their celebrity crush, actor Colm Meaney.

The Nualas enforced their wacky side reminding the audience of their classics, including ‘Chicken Shoes’ and  ‘Oddity’, a story about a girl with a cabbage for a head, who sacrificed her life to feed the very classmates who made fun of her when stranded with their dead teacher on a school trip to The Burren.

Their ability to entertain and communicate to the audience was dazzlingly impressive, with non-stop belly laughs and wide smiles filling the Draiocht from start to finish. The Nualas played over ten songs, all with a dramatic story to tell, all drastically different from the former. The one and a half hour performance flew by with the audience wanting more, complete with standing ovation for the ladies in red. Their personalities, questionable choreography and incredible harmony are not to be missed. The Nualas are an experience, one Nuala just isn’t enough.

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