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Synge's Classic Play Fails to Ignite London Stage
12 Dec
Summary
- The 1907 premiere of The Playboy of the Western World caused violent protests in Dublin.
- Nicola Coughlan and Siobhan McSweeney star in the current London production.
- The play's rustic dialect and pacing challenge modern audiences, leading to a sluggish performance.
The historic play, The Playboy of the Western World, which famously triggered violent brawls upon its 1907 Dublin premiere due to its portrayal of rural Ireland, is currently being staged at London's Lyttelton National Theatre. The production features notable actors Nicola Coughlan and Siobhan McSweeney from the popular TV show 'Derry Girls', though their presence has not incited the dramatic reactions of the past.
Headlining the cast is Irish actor Eanna Hardwicke as Christy Mahon, a drifter who arrives in a Mayo bar claiming to have murdered his father. This tale instantly elevates Christy's status and offers Coughlan's character, Pegeen, an escape from an unwanted betrothal. The plot thickens with the arrival of McSweeney's Widow Quin and the unexpected reappearance of Christy's supposedly deceased father, leading to escalating chaos.
However, director Caitriona McLaughlin's interpretation, attempting to evoke a carnival spirit with a chorus of mummers, ultimately fails to invigorate the performance. Critics describe the production as sluggish, lacking the intended intensity and wit. The play's dense Hiberno-English dialect and an imbalance between dialogue and action over its nearly three-hour duration contribute to a challenging, though rowdy, theatrical experience.
