Such promise not fully delivered

 

3.5 stars

The Wardrobe Department, for me, was more of 3.5 star. It held a lot of promise but for the first two-thirds I struggled to connect or even understand Mairéad and how she behaved. I didn't really like her though loved the environment  and other staff members of the wardrobe department. The ins and outs and the requirement of that team, with the strong personalities of actors and actresses one must navigate whilst dressing them, felt wholly real. The casual chit chat and gossip around mugs of tea was authentic and genuine. That part was spotless, I felt I was there but Mairéad was the element that didn't fully fit? She seemed to hold herself back from everyone and failed to engage. She acted like a kicked dog fearful of contact but it wasn't really explained. There was one potential incident but that didn't match her level of aversion. If the story her mother conveyed later was actually Mairéad's, it would make full sense. But no. She also starved herself without much clarity as to why. It just seemed awkward. At the point where I thought I might give up, it turned a corner. The last third felt like it was penned from a different hand. It was more lucid and cohesive. If the entire book had been like that throughout, I would be looking at a five star review. I didn't dislike it, as there were incredibly strong elements, but Mairéad was the one bit that failed to fit until the end.