“A play set in an Irish-American bar that’s performed in an Irish-American bar — isn’t that getting a bit meta? Lowell’s fledgling Image Theater company seeks out unconventional venues in which to present new work, and for James McLindon’s “Distant Music” — a drama that reunites a disillusioned lawyer with the woman he wishes he’d married — director Jerry Bisantz came up with a perfect location, Lowell’s Old Court tavern. He also pulled off a casting coup in the person of Jonathan Popp, who’s so convincing as young Irish barkeep Dev Hart, I assumed he’d been plucked from the pub staff.”