Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Brian Friel’s late-career THE HOME PLACE at the Irish Rep slowly simmers to a boil

• By drediman
• November 13, 2017
• No Comments

John Windsor-Cunningham and Rachel Pickup in Brian Friel’s “The Home Place” at the Irish Rep.

The current main stage production at the Irish Repertory Theater, The Home Place, is vintage Brian Friel. The late, great Friel, one of Ireland’s great playwrights, is that rare artist who was able to stealthily convey the powerful churning of history within the confines of domestic Chekhovian-like dramas.

The Home Place, one of Friel’s nationalistic late-career plays (it was written in 2005) is no exception, although I would hesitate to classify it with the indisputably top-drawer works by the master – works like Translations, Faith Healer, and Dancing at Lughnasa. Set in 1878 Donegal, the bittersweet play depicts the tenuous love triangle between a “chatelaine” (Margaret, the mistress of a large estate), her aging English landlord (Christopher), and this landlord’s resentful, naive son. The balance is tipped when Christopher’s scientist cousin visits the estate, bringing with him ideas of ethnic and racial superiority (English vs. Irish).

The good-looking Off-Broadway production (set design by James Noone) at the Irish Rep, whose run has been extended to December 17, is solidly directed by Charlotte Moore. Indeed, Ms. Moore has beautifully calibrated the pacing of the production to accommodate the pastoral nature of the play, without sacrificing any of the bite of the play’s confrontational later scenes. The cast, as well, is very good. In particular, I would single out the fine, sensitive work of Rachel Pickup as Margaret and John Windsor-Cunningham as Christopher.

RECOMMENDED

THE HOME PLACE
Off-Broadway, Play
Irish Repertory Theatre
1 hour, 45 minutes (including one intermission)
Through December 17