The highly anticipated new Irish Soap Opera, Red Rock, has finally surfaced and with one episode screened and out there for the world to see, it’s hard not to instantly become engrossed in this fictional harbour town and its colourful inhabitants…
The audience is dragged instantly into the drama as Gardaí Sharon Cleere and Paudge Brennan discover an unconcious and brutally beaten Darren Kiely abondoned after an altercation with Michael Hennessy the previous night. As Michael is questioned and Darren hospitalised news of the fight re-ignites a dormant feud between the Hennessys and the Kielys.
The story is simple, easily accessible and the perfect plotline to launch a new soap. We’re briefly introduced to the majority of the main characters in the opening episode and its difficult not to instantly warm to certain individuals straight away, as the characters are brought to life…
Cathy Belton and Paul Roe steal the scenes they appear in as Patricia Hennessy and Vincent Kiely, the heads of the rival families. Sharon Cleere and James McKay, played by Jane McGrath and Richard Flood respectively, seem the most relatable off the bat and I can envisage the audience rooting for these two Gardaí in particular as the show progresses.
Pandora McCormick as Claire Hennessy is another of the standout performances from the debut, while Adam Weafer and India Mullen add the interesting dynamic of Romeo & Juliet type lovers as David Hennessy and Katie Kiely. It seems the majority of the comic elements of the show will be coming from the Garda contingent with Patrick Ryan, David Crowley and Boyko Krastanov providing a light-hearted side to proceedings as Paudge Brennan, Sean Holden and Adrijan Kosos.
And that’s all before we’ve even met matriarch of the Kiely family Bridget, played by Love/Hate’s Denise McCormack, who’ll surely be a force to be reckoned with once she’s brought in to the loop, considering the premiere episode ended with Darren Kiely’s death. We’ve barely known these characters an hour and I’m already ridiculously invested in their lives… Needless to say, I’m already a fan.
The writers, the directors, the actors, the cinematographers, the set designers and all the cast and crew should be commended on the work so far. A good start is half the battle, and this was certainly a good start.
The Soap Pundit 