Comedic stage play by Martin McDonagh
The Lieutenant of Inishmore is a
black comedy by
Martin McDonagh , in which the 'mad' leader of an
Irish National Liberation Army splinter group discovers that his cat has been killed. It has been produced twice in the
West End and on
Broadway , where it received a
Tony Award nomination for
Best Play . In 2014, The Lieutenant of Inishmore was ranked in
The Daily Telegraph as one of the 15 greatest plays ever written.
[1]
Plot
In Ireland in 1993, the
Northern Ireland peace process is taking its faltering first steps.
Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) man Mad Padraic is pulling out the toenails of Belfast drug dealer James, when he hears that his beloved cat, Wee Thomas, is poorly. He heads back home to the island of Inishmore, where he learns that Wee Thomas is not sick but has been killed. Padraic, a man considered too mad for the
Irish Republican Army and sorely trying the patience of his INLA comrades, is intent on revenge. He kills four people and two other cats before Wee Thomas is found alive and well; the first cat was mistaken for him.
Characters
Padraic: (Age: 20 – 25. Lead)
Davey: (Age: 17.
[2] Lead)
Donny: (Age: 45 – 50. Lead)
Mairead: (Age: 16.
[2] Lead)
Christy: (Age: 30 – 50. Supporting)
Brendan: (Age: 18 – 25. Supporting)
Joey/James: (Age: 18 – 25. Supporting)
Certain productions might choose to double Joey and James, or have them played by two different performers. There is no official suggestion from McDonagh in the script.
Production history
Original RSC/West End production
The Lieutenant of Inishmore was first produced by the
Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2001. The production was directed by
Wilson Milam .
[3] In 2002, the production transferred to the
Barbican , and then to the
Garrick Theatre ,
[4] before touring the UK and eventually Ireland.
[5]
Original off-Broadway/Broadway production
A new production opened
off-Broadway at the
Atlantic Theater Company on 27 February 2006. The production received
Lucille Lortel Awards , including Outstanding Play and Outstanding Lead Actor
(David Wilmot, tie)
[6] with an
Obie Award for Martin McDonagh.
[7]
[8] The play transferred to the
Lyceum Theatre , on
Broadway where it ran from 3 May to 3 September 2006. The opening night cast included Jeff Binder,
Andrew Connolly ,
Dashiell Eaves ,
Peter Gerety ,
Domhnall Gleeson ,
Brian d'Arcy James ,
Alison Pill , and
David Wilmot . It was directed by
Wilson Milam , who directed the original RSC/West End production.
[9]
Subsequent North American productions
The Lieutenant of Inishmore has also been produced:
Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre , in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 12 July to 4 August 2007.
GableStage, in
Coral Gables , Florida, from 11 August to 9 September 2007
Fusion Theatre Company in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from 25 October to 18 November 2007
the
Alley Theatre , in the
Houston Theater District , from 25 January to 24 February 2008
[10]
Curious Theatre Company in Denver, Colorado from 8 March to 19 April 2008
San Jose State University's Hal Todd Theatre, from 25 April to 3 May 2008
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis from 17 September to 13 October 2008,
[11] where it was nominated for five
Kevin Kline Awards , of which it took home one.
The New Repertory Theatre in
Boston, Massachusetts , from 26 October to 6 November 2008
Jobsite Theater in
Tampa, Florida in April 2009
[12]
Berkeley Repertory Theatre in
Berkeley, California from 17 April to 24 May 2009 under the direction of
Les Waters
[13]
Northlight Theatre in
Skokie, Illinois , from 29 April 2009 to 7 June 2009, directed by B.J. Jones.
[14] This production featured special effects and props designed by Steve Tolin, for which he won the 2009 Jeff Award for Outstanding Achievement in Special Effects.
Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles from 11 July – 8 August 2010.
[2] The cast included
Chris Pine as Padraic.
A Contemporary Theater, in Seattle, in October 2010. [
citation needed ]
the San Jose Stage Company, San Jose, California, from 26 September to 21 October 2018.
[15]
South America
The Lieutenant of Inishmore was first produced in
Lima, Peru at
Teatro La Plaza ISIL , running from 24 April to 1 July 2008.
Australia
An Australian production ran from 30 September to 18 October 2008, at the Sue Benner Theatre, Metro Arts in
Brisbane, Queensland . The
New Theatre at
Newtown in
Sydney, New South Wales presented the play from 24 April 2018 to 26 May 2018.
[16]
Ukraine
Adapted ukrainian version (under the name "Kytsyunya") ran in 2019 in
Kyiv , presented by "Wild Theatre".
[17]
West End revival 2018
The Lieutenant of Inishmore was revived from June - September 2018 at the
Noël Coward Theatre . The production is directed by
Michael Grandage and stars
Aidan Turner as Padraic.
[18]
Awards and nominations
2006
Alfréd Radok Award for Best Play
2006 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play (win)
[6]
2006 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor - David Wilmot (win)
[6]
2006 Obie Award for Playwriting - Martin McDonagh (win)
2006
Tony Award
[19] Best Actor in a Play (Wilmot) (nomination)
2006 Tony Award Best Direction of a Play (nomination)
2006 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play (Gleeson) (nomination)
2006 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Play (Allison Pill) (nomination)
2006 Tony Award Play (nomination)
2009 Jeff Award for Outstanding Achievements in Special Effects - Steve Tolin
2009 San Francisco Bay Area Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor - Adam Farabee
2009 San Francisco Bay Area Critics Circle Award for Fight Director - Dave Maier
2009 San Francisco Bay Area Critics Circle Award for Best Ensemble
2010 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Lead Performance - Chris Pine
[20]
2018 West End revival
References
^
"Best plays of all time" . The Daily Telegraph . 28 April 2014.
ISSN
0307-1235 . Retrieved 14 April 2020 .
^
a
b
c Reiner, Jay (13 July 2010).
" 'The Lieutenant of Inishmore' a gruesome pleasure" . Reuters. Retrieved 9 May 2011 .
^ Cavendish, Dominic.
"Animal instincts" The Telegraph , 14 May 2001
^ Spencer, Charles.
Devastating Masterpiece of Black Comedy" The Telegraph , 28 June 2002
^
[1] shakespeare.org.uk
^
a
b
c
" The Trip to Bountiful Tops 2006 Lucille Lortel Awards" broadway.com, 2 May 2006
^ Jones, Kenneth.
"Bloody Fun: McDonagh's Lieutenant of Inishmore Opens Feb. 27 in U.S. Premiere" Playbill , 27 February 2006
^
"2006 Nominations by Category" lortelaward.com, accessed 13 August 2019
^ Jones, Kenneth.
"McDonagh's Bloody Comedy, Lieutenant of Inishmore , Opens on Broadway" Playbill, 3 May 2006
^ Hetrick, Adam.
"The Lieutenant of Inishmore Begins Alley Run Jan. 25" Playbill , 25 January 2008
^ Hetrick, Adam.
" The Lieutenant of Inishmore Opens in St. Louis Sept. 19" Playbill , 19 September 2008
^ Fuge, Tristan.
"Jobsite Theater Announces The Lieutenant of Inishmore Cast and Creative Team" theatermania.com, 28 January 2009
^ Bacalzo, Dan.
"Berkeley Rep Announces Cast for Lieutenant of Inishmore " theatermania.com, 4 March 2009
^
The Lieutenant Of Inishmore
theatreinchicago.com, accessed 13 August 2019
^ Hurwitt, Sam.
"Martin McDonagh’s bloody hilarious Lieutenant of Inishmore comes to San Jose Stage" Mercury News , 2 October 2018
^
The Lieutenant of Inishmore artsreview.com.au, 26 April 2018
^
Kytsyunya poster wild-t.com.ua
^
The Lieutenant of Inishmore michaelgrandagecompany.com
^
The Lieutenant of Inishmore Playbill , accessed 13 August 2019
^
[2] ladramacriticscircle
^
"2018 Results | Critics' Circle Theatre Awards" . 29 January 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2020 .
^
"Read the Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2018 shortlist in full" . www.standard.co.uk . 16 November 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2020 .
^
"Winners list for the Olivier Awards 2019 with Mastercard | Official Website" . Olivier Awards . Retrieved 6 December 2020 .
Further reading
McDonagh, Martin (2001). The Lieutenant of Inishmore . London: Methuen.
ISBN
0-413-76500-8 .
External links
Films Plays
Set on Leenane Set on Aran Islands Others