The Playboy of the Western World
Welcome return to award-winning Irish theatre…
Oxford Playhouse presents the Druid production of
The Playboy of the Western World
By J.M. Synge
Directed by Garry Hynes
The Lowry, Tue 26 – Sat 30 May 2009
Press night: Tue 26 May 2009
• Interviews are available with Garry Hynes and Aaron Monaghan
Award-winning Druid Ireland return to The Lowry from Tue 26 May, with one of Synge’s best-known work and one of their most widely-acclaimed productions, The Playboy of the Western World. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of J.M Synge’s death, this production follows the successful autumn visit of The Cripple of Inishmaan, which was nominated for eleven New York Theatre awards, scooping the Drama Desk Special Award for ‘Outstanding Ensemble Performance’.
The savagely funny Playboy of the Western World was the first play staged by Druid in 1975 and since then their production has thrilled audiences all around the world, playing to critical acclaim in New York, Edinburgh, Perth, Tokyo, Los Angeles and Washington. Credited with staging the definitive Playboy, Druid and Tony-Award winning director Garry Hynes masterfully balance the darkness and comedy of Synge’s great comic masterpiece. Garry is the only female director to have been awarded a Tony, which she received for Best Direction for the Beauty Queen of Leenane.
Playboy tells the story of Christy Mahon, who stumbles into a public house in County Mayo claiming he has killed his father and so capturing the imagination of the locals and the romantic attention of the daughter of the house, Pegeen Mike. Aaron Monaghan reprises the role of Christy following his stunning portrayal of Cripple Billy in The Cripple of Inishmaan, a role that earned him a Best Actor nomination at the 2008 Irish Times Theatre Awards.
Oxford Playhouse’s production of The Playboy of the Western World is supported by Arts Council England and Culture Ireland.
Posted on Thursday, 07 May 2009 under Press Theatre Press