The Cripple Of Inishmaan (The SOB Review) - Linda Gross Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, New York, New York
***1/2 (out of ****)Who would have thought that a play so politically incorrectly named would pack such a powerfully funny, yet emotional punch?
As currently revived as a joint project by New York's
Atlantic Theater Company and Ireland's
Druid Theatre Company of Galway,
Martin McDonagh's
The Cripple Of Inishmaan gives new meaning to the term "break leg." This show is crackling with wit and pathos.
With frequent McDonagh collaborator
Garry Hynes at the helm, the two have spun an exceptional yarn. Set in the Depression-era on a remote Irish island, a physically challenged reject nicknamed "Cripple" Billy -- an exceptional
Aaron Monaghan in a breakthrough role -- finds fame, if not necessarily good fortune, when he's defied all odds in being cast in a documentary being filmed on the nearby isle of Inishmore.
With his trademark black humor, McDonagh infuses each character with remarkable shadings that reveal themselves with his characteristic complexity. Chief among them is the extraordinary
David Pearce as Inishmaan gossip JohnnyPateenMike, who never met a rumor he didn't like to exploit, yet who ultimately maintains a secret that proves he has a heart.
Despite all the violence for which McDonagh is known, and
Cripple Of Inishmaan certainly has its share, the playwright intrigues with his compassion for humanity. It certainly bubbles to the surface in this great work. Along with his rich humor, outstanding cast and Hynes' loving direction, this able play easily ranks among the year's better revivals.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Aaron Monaghan, Atlantic Theater Company, David Pearce, Garry Hynes, Martin McDonagh, Off-Broadway, Play, Revival, The Cripple Of Inishmaan
Waiting For GodotIt's been over 51 years since
Samuel Beckett's absurdist classic
Waiting For Godot was last performed on Broadway. And to date, there have only been 65 actual performances on the Great White Way of one of the stage's more uniquely famous titles.
While the
Seattle Repertory Company's upcoming revival of
Waiting For Godot isn't even due in the
Emerald City until January 2009, that hasn't stopped the producers from waiting to announce that they're officially waiting for a Broadway berth soon after.
Helmed by Tony Award-winning director
Garry Hynes (
The Beauty Queen of Leenane) and starring Tony Award winning actor
Bill Irwin (
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), the Seattle Repertory Theatre
describes its new revival:
On its way to Broadway, this production features acclaimed film, television, and stage actor Bill Irwin under the direction of Tony-award-winning director Garry Hynes. Considered by many to be the most significant English language play of the 20th century, this absurdist comedy places two Charlie Chaplin-like tramps in the middle of nowhere to await the mysterious Godot. Don’t miss the chance to see this vaudevillian masterpiece.
First presented on Broadway in
59-performance run (April 19-June 9, 1956) at the
John Golden Theatre,
Herbert Berghof directed
Bert Lahr,
E. G. Marshall,
Alvin Epstein (who appeared in the recent
Brooklyn Academy of Music revival of Beckett's
Endgame),
Kurt Kasznar and
Luchino Solito de Solis.
The very next year, Berghof assumed the helm once again for its one and only revival at the
Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Lasting a mere 6 performances, the 1957 run had a twist. It included a cast that was entirely black, including
Bert Chamberlain,
Geoffrey Holder,
Earle Hyman,
Rex Ingram and
Mantan Moreland.
Now, all these years later,
Waiting For Godot is back. Will it actually be worth the wait?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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Labels: Bill Irwin, Broadway, First Word On New Show, Garry Hynes, Revival, Seattle, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Transfer, Waiting For Godot
