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AFTER the decidedly ropey American accents in Glengarry Glen Ross, The Nonentities went from the ridiculous to the sublime in their latest production. But there is far more to recommend The Beauty Queen of Leenane than just the convincing Irish inflections employed by the top notch cast in a play which stands head and shoulders above any of the other productions I have seen by the usually solid amateur group. A gripping, well written and believable script by highly-rated Irish scribe Martin McDonagh help the cause, of course, but it is the outstanding performances by Liz Cole and Julie Innes in the lead roles which really bring this work to life. Their tense mother/daughter relationship, fuelled by hatred, resentment and bitterness, boils over into some genuinely harrowing scenes of violence which are given even more impact by the intimate setting of The Rose's studio. And a genuine sense of place shines through as the audience are transported to the rural west coast of Ireland, where Mag and Maureen Folan's life revolves around chickens, porridge and Complan (which I have since learnt provides complete nutrition for the elderly when they are off their food). Tim Williams gives his customarily enthusiastic performance as Maureen's would-be suitor Pato Dooley while a special mention should be reserved for James Stevens as his irritable brother, Ray. AMD
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Black comedy in an Oirish accent: LIKE Eurovision Song Contest winners, Ireland seems to have more than its fair share of quality playwrights who specialise in troubled domestic settings. And as Martin McDonagh’s The Beauty Queen of Leenane shows, he is no exception. Set in remote and rural Ireland, the play is like a grotesque Steptoe and Son. Maureen (Julie Innes) has spent 20 years looking after her infuriating mother, Mag (Liz Cole) whose meddling is enough to drive anyone round the bend. Mag’s nagging turns malicious when Maureen attracts the attention of Pato (Tim Williams). But Maureen is far from the innocent downtrodden victim. She has a darkside of her own. The play was squeezed into the theatre’s studio, which heightened
the cramped pressure-cooker feel and the twists and turns kept the audience
on its toes. The cast maintained their Oirish accents but the Yoda-like
syntax sounded clumsy and unnatural. Neatly executed by resident group
The Nonentities, this fresh comedy is as black as they come. |
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Comedy of Eire: THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE: AN AWKWARD old mother
and an unstable daughter are the protagonists in It unwinds on the wings of a bit of a lilt, lots of inverted sentences and irritating pseudo swearing, and it weaves its claustrophobic web with absorbing efficiency in the confines of a studio theatre. The interplay between mother (Liz Cole) and daughter (Julie Innes) is achieved efficiently, and Tim Williams arrives as the boyfriend understandably bemused by what he finds. There is plenty of humour, but not enough to send the patrons on their way rejoicing. The froth does not hide the festering unpleasantness. JOHN SLIM |