The W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre
Written by Sean O’Casey
Directed by Nicola Murphy
Music Director: Stephen Kennedy Murphy
Sunday, March 31 at 3pm
Figuro in the Night (1961): Set in Dublin, the appearance of a mysterious statue leads to a generational shift in this mythic story in which the freedom of youth clashes with a repressed older generation.
The Moon Shines on Kylenamoe (1961): This delightful farce depicts the antics of the townspeople in a small Irish town as come against an aloof wealthy Englishman.
O’Casey’s final published theatrical work was a collection of three plays: Behind the Green Curtains (1961),which included a full-length title play, the two-act “Figuro in the Night,” and the one-act “The Moon Shines on Kylenamoe.” These playful works showcase O’Casey’s skills as a comic playwright.
Due to controversies in Ireland stemming from O’Casey’s ongoing criticism of the Catholic Church and Irish politics, his final works all premiered in small productions in the United States in 1962. These two short plays were performed together at the Lucille Lortel Theatre by the American National Theatre and Academy. In 1975, more than ten years after O’Casey’s death, Figuro in the Night and The Moon Shines on Kylanamoe made their Irish debut in a double billing at the Abbey Theatre.
The title play in O’Casey’s 1961 book Behind the Green Curtains will be read as part of The Sean O’Casey Reading Series on March 30 at 8pm. Learn more.
All readings are free to attend. Invitations were sent via email. To request an invitation, call the Irish Rep box office at 212-727-2737.
