How many people have to die for two brothers to get along? This question is posed throughout Practically Peter Production’s performance of The Lonesome West, originally written by Irish playwright Martin McDonagh.

After the death of their father, brothers Valene (Roman Marshall) and Coleman (Cameron Forbes) seem more perturbed by each other than distraught. They frequently exchange verbal attacks which devolve into physical scuffling (and sometimes worse). Meanwhile, their friend, Father Welsh (Caleb Barron) is disturbed by the recent number of murders and suicides in his parish. He latches onto to the idea that saving the brothers’ relationship might redeem the local misfortunes he feels he has responsibility over. Yet, his own ineffectiveness and alcoholism constantly thwarts his attempts, as does the brothers’ preference for discussing food and drink over any fraught matters. The character of Girleen (Lara Deenig) provides a strong counterpoint to the dynamics of the three men – young, but gifted with an ironically unusual common sense, she manages the difficult line between what to take lightly, and what to take seriously.

The Lonesome West is funny, but it is the darkest of comedies. The actors delivered their lines in fitting dead pan tones, and there’s a sense of discomfort when the audience finds themselves laughing at jokes about funeral catering, melting saints, and people being shot in the face given the gravity of events surrounding these instances and stories. The mixture of unease and light-heartedness provides a compelling tone for the entire production.

Another striking aspect to the play is its treatment of Catholicism. As the characters reflect, according to the tenets of Catholicism, wrongdoings (even murder) are fine, as long as they’re repented. You can kill someone and still go to heaven. If you kill yourself, however, you can’t repent, and you’re therefore doomed to hell. In the final scene, the brothers take this theme of confession to extremes – admitting (and not without glee) some of the terrible things they had done to each other, and effectively forcing forgiveness as per the nature of a Catholic confession. Is the slate ever really washed clean though? The possibility of redemption is evoked through the play, but this production’s effectiveness lies in the fact that we’re never sure if it’s possible.