With David Cameron speaking of growing evidence that Scots don’t want independence, it’s easy to be struck by the fundamental parallels between Ireland and Scotland while watching Martin McDonagh’s critically-lauded 1996 debut. Yes, there’s the shared history of repressive Catholic/Calvinist religions, but perhaps a more profound influence can be seen in the repercussions of English occupation, which in subtle ways is the instigator for much of the tragedy in Beauty Queen.
Director Tony Cownie delivers a thorough and unfussy production, led by Kelly’s startlingly emotional and utterly convincing performance
Set in Galway, the action plays out on Janet Birds’ detailed kitchen set, where middle-aged Maureen (Cara Kelly) has spent her entire adult life looking after and exchanging abuse with her physically incapacitated mother Mag (Nora Connolly). When local man Pato (John Kazek), on break from his London-based job, shows interest in Maureen, she has a chance to escape, but will Mag let her?
Director Tony Cownie delivers a thorough and unfussy production that allows McDonagh’s biting sarcasm and brewing violence to take centre-stage. You can hear the gears grinding on the plot’s almost schematic construction, but the pitch-perfect cast brings enough naturalism to smooth it over, led by Kelly’s startlingly emotional and utterly convincing performance. The village still dispersed long after the English invasion ransacked its wealth, Maureen can’t bring herself to move where there’s work and instead is left to rot. However flippantly amusing the play at times seems, it’s this emotional sucker-punch that lingers.
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