I went to see Martin McDonagh's play "The Beauty Queen of Leenane" in the Pavilion Theatre in Dún Laoghaire last evening. I had not seen it before, but have heard on many occasions that it was well worth seeing. This version of the play was presented by the London Classic Theatre company, and I must say that I had a very enjoyable and entertaining evening.
The play is a dark, moody, funny, and thoughtful piece of work. There are only four characters and is easy for even me to follow. However, as it moves to the later very dramatic stage, mental illness plays a significant role and you are left wondering at the end what was real and what was not real. The play is full of tension, and you will be literally on the edge of your seat right up to the last moments. The characters were excellently portrayed by the cast (I did not get a programme, so I don't know what there names are). Overall, a wonderful play and production - well worth seeing. Recommended.
The Pavilion Theatre is a very small theatre. We were in the second row, and as there is no stage were were right up in front of the action with a perfect view - I did not miss a word. One unfortunate thing about small theatres, and the largely middle to older age audience, is that every sound in the audience is exaggerated. Some people can't think without moving their lips at the same time, so I was treated to several (quite loud I thought) explanations and comments from the couple beside me, and elsewhere in the audience. Zip it folks!
No comments:
Post a Comment