Druid Theatre
Playboy of the Western World
Read the 4 star review in the Guardian
When Christy Mahon stumbles into a public house in County Mayo claiming he has killed his father, he is greeted with awe, admiration and romantic attention. Pegeen Mike, the soon-to-be-betrothed daughter of the house, is particularly smitten by his reported heroics. However, when the father shows, down, but not out, the backlash begins for the one time 'Playboy of the Western World'.
When J.M. Synge's three act play debuted at W.B. Yeats' Abbey Theatre, Dublin in 1907 its irreverent humour and protested profanity was greeted with righteous indignation by a 'remarkable mob of howling devils'. The ensuing 'Playboy riots' notwithstanding, Synge's tragicomic classic has since come to be recognised as a masterpiece of poetic drama. Mapping the chasm between the 'garrulous
story' and the 'dirty deed', Synge brings us teetering to the edge of pathos, humour and raw emotion.
Druid is one of Ireland's most lauded theatre
companies, credited with staging the definitive
Playboy. For this revival of their landmark production, Druid's Artistic Director and Tony Award-winner Garry Hynes returns to the UK following last year's sell-out run of Martin McDonagh's The Cripple of Inishmaan.
There will be an audio-described performance on Thur 14 May.
Post-show talk Wed 13 May Free to ticket holders