Lieder artistic director Chrisjohn Hancock said the play is all about cats and mad men. The main character, Padriac is considered too extreme for the IRA, so he is part of breakaway group. He is busy torturing a Belfast drug pusher, when the news comes through that his beloved cat is sick.

The cat in fact is dead and the neighbours, who the cat was left in the care of, are now terrified of what will become of them when Padriac finds out they have inadvertently killed it.

This sets up the actions for the rest of the play.

Mr Hancock said it was the third play by Irish playwright Martin McDonagh that the Lieder had done. The other two they have staged include The Beauty Queen of Leenane and The Cripple of Inishmaan. This play is set in Northern Ireland in the early 1990s.

Mr Hancock said the play is a very funny, black comedy.

"Fearing the worst, the neighbours try to find a replacement cat, but everything goes wrong. There is a lot of blood and guts and there is a lot of shooting and crazy things that happen," he said.

"All of his work is this dark material with a twist that becomes whacky. That said, some of the best comedy comes from dark places."

The cast includes: Josh Waters, Martin Sanders, Steve Routley, Shane Daly, Brian Hill, Ethan Betts, Harrison Treble and Brittany Lewis.

The Lieutenant of Inishmore opens on Friday, May 13 at 7.30pm and is being hosted by Goulburn Labor, who have some notable Irish connections including former senator Ursula Stephens.

The play continues at 7.30pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays until May 28, with a 2pm matinee on Saturday May 21 and May 28. For more information or tickets contact the Lieder on 4821 5066.