When the National Theatre’s revival of JM Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World was announced, it grabbed headlines for starring not one, but two of the cast of the iconic Derry Girls: with Nicola Coughlan as the young Pegeen Mike and Siobhán McSweeney as the older Widow Quin, they take on two of the three lead roles (the trio being completed by Éanna Hardwicke who plays love interest Christy Mahon). Going into the theatre we didn’t really know anything about the show, beyond the attention-grabbing casting – so what is The Playboy of the Western World all about?
Well, it’s not a new play: it debuted in 1907, and is considered one of modern Ireland’s first state-of-the-nation plays. The focus is on village life and tells a tale of youth and self-discovery, in which Christy Mahon is an unlikely hero. He arrives in the village at night, dishevelled and exhausted as he’s been walking for days. He claims to have killed his father, but far from being shunned for his violence, the villagers seem drawn to this enigmatic man and his display of strength. Cue all the village girls fawning over this supposed bad boy, and Christy becoming something of a local celebrity. That is, until, his past starts to catch up with him…
There’s much here to enjoy: at times this is a wonderfully dark comedy – there are some really terrific lines here – and it’s an astute depiction of how fickle society can be regarding who and what is ‘popular’, a message which still stands the test of time. It probably goes without saying, but there’s some excellent acting on the stage too. However, the show is inconsistent: act one is a slow burn, gently creating tension through long, late-night conversations; while act two is fast-paced, comical and at times borderline farcical. We enjoyed the play, but the tonal contrast before and after the interval is somewhat jarring.
Additionally, a word of warning – the play is performed with strong Irish accents and using quite traditional language. While this makes for some wonderfully lyrical lines, it also makes segments of the play difficult to understand. We got the gist of each scene, but we certainly lost a few lines along the way. It’s a play which really demands its audience focuses intently and listens closely.
We enjoyed our evening with The Playboy of the Western World – it’s unlike anything else we’ve seen recently, it has some great lines and there’s some superb acting here. The complete change of pace midway through didn’t sit too well with us, however, and it’s a show that requires audience members to work hard in order to get the most out of it – which may not be to everyone’s tastes.
GAY TIMES gives The Playboy of the Western World – 3/5
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