Freya Finnerty and Chris Learmonth in BLT’s July 2014 production of ‘The Cripple Of Inishmaan’,
directed by Nikki Packham
Fri 4 – Sat 12 July 2014 at 7.45pm
The Cripple Of Inishmaan
by Martin McDonagh
Directed by Nikki Packham
This very funny and achingly sad play by Martin McDonagh is a must-see. The West End production with Daniel Radcliffe in the title role is now wowing New York audiences and is up for six Tony awards, so here’s your chance to see it much closer to home!
The Cripple of Inishmaan is based on the true story of American director Robert Flaherty, who came to the Isles of Aran to film “Man of Aran”, one of the first documentary feature films, and his desire to use local people. We see the effect the news of the filming has on a small rural Irish community in 1934. We live orphaned cripple Billy’s longing to be in the film, the worry this engenders in the two ‘aunts’ who have brought him up, the misplaced energy of Helen, who delivers the eggs, her brother Bartley’s longing for the sweets he can’t find in the shop, the bringing of the news by Johnnypateenmike, the liking for the drink by his Mammy, the vain attempt to stop the drinking by Doctor McSharry’s and the two sides of Babbybobby, whose boat the youngsters need to travel to the filming. They all contribute to this tale of heartbreak, eggbreak, love and loss.
You will laugh and cry in equal measure and if you saw McDonagh’s The Beauty Queen of Leenane, you’ll be in for another treat!
Cast:
Cripple Billy : Chris Learmonth
Eileen : Emma Berryman
Kate : Emma Kerby-Evans
Johnnypateenmike : Bob Etherington
Helen : Freya Finnerty
Bartley : Tom Raban
Babbybobby : Wayne Sheridan
Doctor McSharry : Philip Cohen
Mammy : Margaret Glenn
Man of Aran : Bill Morley
“Having read this play for months now whilst waiting to get the performing rights I was so looking forward to coming to see it last night and was absolutely delighted with the performance. The casting, the acting, the set were all spot on and we all really enjoyed it, it was a brilliant performance! If we make somewhere near as good a job as you all have, I’ll be a happy director! Thank you so much for a fabulous evening.Loved your theatre too”
Sarah
Phoenix Theatre Company.