Review: Theatre

The Playboy of the Western World, dir John Crowley, Niamh Cusack, Old Vic

Traditional. It caused Yeats to get to his feet and condemn the protests which greeted this play when it first opened at The Abbey Theatre, Dublin; hard to believe now. This revival approaches the play with reverence; too much at times. It has a wonderful set, an evocative shebeen, which revolves; and you can smell the peat and taste the porter, as Pegeen Mike falls for fantasist Christy Mahon and his tall tales of killing his father, while Master Keogh, her intended, jealously looks on. A group of musicians open both halves, which is an authentic touch, as game-player Christy, spins his yarns and reaches the status of hero. It is this that sits oddly, and sinisterly, with the play. This is no harmless fun, as the duped-townsfolk turn on Christy, burning his leg, when his father unexpectedly turns up. It was this negative image that caused the initial riots: Irish people as clichés, sentimental, gullible, and more often than not, drunk. This revival is careful to distance itself from this; and all the characterisations have been carefully thought out, particularly in the groupings of the men and women. Yet Pegeen Mike and Christy too reverent. Niamh Cusack is outstanding as Widow Quinn: her widow is vibrant, sexual and quick to assess the situation where the others do not. Used to living by her wits, it is this knowing angle which saves the play from slipping into ‘irishy’, giving it a fresh, contemporary appeal……..