Irish Repertory Theatre

Irish Drama.
New York Style.

2007-2008 Season

Around the World in 80 Days

by Mark Brown
based on the novel by Jules Verne
directed by Michael Evan Haney

July 11- September 7, 2008

In England in 1872, Phileas Fogg is the most exact of men. Well-traveled, very wealthy and with no friends or relatives of which to speak, he keeps his days on the most precise of schedules and spends his evenings at the local Reform Club. After a newspaper asserts that traveling around the world in 80 days is a legitimate possibility, Fogg and his fellow Londoners debate whether becoming a globetrotter is indeed that easy. Convinced he could accomplish the task, Fogg enters into a wager with the men, betting 20,000 pounds that he could complete the journey in the allotted time.

The race is on, and Fogg begins a journey that will include twists, turns and travel unlike you’ve ever seen — from train to boat, sled to elephant. A snooping detective who believes Fogg might be the thief, a possible human sacrifice, a runaway train and even the will of Mother Nature all conspire against Fogg’s adventure of a lifetime, threatening not only his journey but also the heart of the woman he loves.

“Quite a lark, A SUMMER ENTERTAINMENT THAT REVELS IN SIMPLE THEATRICAL ARTIFICE. IT’S NO-TECH PERFECTION! — NY Times

“A RIVETING TESTAMENT TO THE INGENIOUSNESS OF THE HUMAN IMAGINATION, truly in keeping with the spirit of Verne himself.” — The New Yorker

“You may revere the film version of Around the World in 80 Days, but watching 5 actors play 39 roles over 24,000 miles makes THE CAPER ELECTRIFYING, A PERFECT HOMAGE TO JULES VERNE.” — NEW YORK MAGAZINE

“IRISH REP PRESENTS A PERFECTLY SILLY MULTICHARACTER COMEDY, A RIPPING TALE OF ADVENTURE OVER ROUGH LANDS AND HIGH SEAS. …the cast of five speeds through four continents’ worth of wacky accents and daffy fixes. …and proves anew that THE STAGE CAN BE A WORLD OF ENTERTAINMENT.” — TIME OUT

“AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS MATCHES FORM AND CONTENT BRILLIANTLY. A CRACKERJACK GROUP OF COMEDIANS. DID I SAY AERODYNAMIC? AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS LIFTS OFF — TAKING THE AUDIENCE WITH IT.” — BACKSTAGE

“GLEEFULLY AND THRILLINGLY. Haney’s production barrels along like a comic steam engine careening down a particularly precarious twist-filled track in the end.” — THEATERMANIA

“The audience, very ready for amusement, LAUGHED THEMSELVES APOPLECTIC. With its charming cast, impractical plot, and air-conditioned environs, Around the World makes for quite an amiable jaunt.” — VILLAGE VOICE

Prisoner of the Crown

by Richard F. Stockton
additional material & original concept by Richard T. Herd
directed by Ciarán O’Reilly

May 14- July 6, 2008

Prisoner of the Crown is the riveting story of the trial of Sir Roger Casement, an Irish patriot and one of the world’s great humanitarians. A few short years after being knighted, Casement was sentenced to be hanged for treason in what was called “The Trial of the Century.” The sensational trial was tainted by the presence of the “Black Diaries” an alleged explicit account of Casement’s promiscuous homosexual lifestyle. Were the diaries real? Or, were they, as many believed, forged by the crown forces determined that he pay the ultimate price for his role in the Easter 1916 uprising? The play, set in the jury room of the Old Bailey and in the minds of the jury, features 49 characters and paints a captivating picture of heroism, passion, and manipulative deception.

“EIGHT SKILLED ACTORS HANDLE DOZENS OF ROLES, AND THE TRANSITIONS AMONG THE PLAY’S MULTIPLE SETTINGS ARE MARVELS OF STAGECRAFT” – THE NEW YORKER

“In a new play, the paradox of Roger Casement haunts the Irish Rep IN A SHARP, SNAPPILY PACED PRODUCTION by Ciarán O’Reilly. Philip Goodwin, pale and grave, embodies (Casement) persuasively at the head of A SOLIDLY EFFECTIVE CAST THAT ZIPS FROM ROLE TO ROLE WITH EASE, aided by Brian Nason’s swiftly changing lights.” – VILLAGE VOICE

“INGENIOUSLY STAGED AND MAGNIFICENTLY ACTED.” -CURTAIN UP

“STRONG CAST TO BRING THIS REMARKABLE PLAY TO LIFE   – IRISH VOICE

“Prisoner of the Crown is an ENGROSSING and solidly acted brief for the defense. Director Ciarán O’Reilly adds a few stylized touches around the edges, particularly during scene transitions, but for the most part this is straightforward, socially conscious docudrama, with its tense jury-room scenes strongly reminiscent of Twelve Angry Men. THE ACTORS ALL DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES IN MULTIPLE ROLES, though the most rousing moments come courtesy of John Windsor-Cunningham as Casement’s principal tormentor and Tim Ruddy as his passionate defense attorney.” – BACKSTAGE

“O’Reilly manages to keep the history and the details of Casement’s story crystal clear despite the complexity. His inventiveness combines with the GENERAL HIGH QUALITY OF MUCH OF THE ACTING to produce not only a really satisfying evening of theatre, but a truly instructive one as well.” – IRISH ECHO

Take Me Along

book by Joseph Stein & Bob Russell
lyrics & music by Bob Merrill
based on Ah, Wilderness by Eugene O’Neill

directed by Charlotte Moore
music direction by Mark Hartman
choreography by Barry McNabb

February 13- May 4, 2008

  • Drama Desk Nom., “Outstanding Revival of a Musical” – Take Me Along
  • Outer Critics Award, “Outstanding Revival of a Musical” – Take Me Along

“enchanting, flawlessly rendered” – Backstage

“Let this delightful production take you along” -AP

“The Irish Repertory Theater’s bright, engaged account of “Take Me Along” (songs and lyrics by Bob Merrill, book by Joseph Stein and Robert Russell) HAS A REAL CHARM. Energetically directed by Charlotte Moore, this production has a cast of pros with excellent singing voices. Perhaps the best is William Parry as Nat Miller, Richard’s father, who manages to be warmly paternal without being smug. I LEFT SMILING.” -NY Times

“GO ALONG FOR THE RIDE AND TAKE IT ALL IN. “Take Me Along” -the rarely performed musical adaptation of Eugene O’Neill’s “Ah, Wilderness!” – handles sexual yearning, alcoholism and more with such a light touch, it makes you wish O’Neill had written more comedies. Highlights include the gorgeous ballad “Promise Me a Rose,” beautifully performed by Beth Glover, and “If Jesus Don’t Love Ya,” the rousing ode to licentiousness sung by Anastasia Barzee as Belle, the town tart. Barry McNabb’s choreography finds ways to delight and James Morgan’s minimal set well conjures up the period setting. BY THE TIME THE SHOW’S OVER, IT’S EASY TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE NOTIONS OF ITS TITLE SONG.” -NY Post

The Devil’s Disciple

by George Bernard Shaw
directed by Tony Walton

December 5  – January 27, 2008

The Devil’s Disciple, George Bernard Shaw’s crackling comedy set during the American War of Independence, is the story of the rascal, Dick Dudgeon, a young revolutionary brought up in a harshly puritan home, who finds himself starved for a true religion. His passionate belief in the right to human happiness lands him smack in the middle of a masquerade which could result in dangerous, indeed, life threatening consequences. Shaw’s superb wit and wisdom send us reeling toward a delicious revelation in this timely play which could have been written today.

“The Irish Rep has always had a way with Shaw, but they’ve outdone themselves with Tony Walton’s production of his topsy-turvy Revolutionary War Story.  If there’s a weak link anywhere, I didn’t notice it.” -Wall Street Journal

“FULL OF SWASHBUCKLING ACTION, SEXUAL TENSION AND LOOMING VIOLENCE… A DELIGHTFULLY ABSURD FARCE” -NY Times

“There is a good match between director and designer Tony Walton and George Bernard Shaw’s The Devil’s Disciple. Walton, born in Britain understands his country’s own history, as well as Shaw’s hostile Irish take on the British. Bring The Irish Repertory Theatre into the mix and we have a scintillating well-staged production of the entertaining play set in America during a turning point in the revolutionary war.” – William Wolf

Sive

by John B. Keane
directed by Ciarán O’Reilly

September 20- November 11, 2007

A raw and riveting drama,  John B. Keane’s Sive tells the tale of a beautiful young schoolgirl forced into an arranged marriage with a rich and lecherous old man. This hard hitting depiction of a sexually charged world was a scandalous affair when it was first seen in 1959. Against the backdrop of 1950’s rural Ireland, the play is colorfully populated with traveling tinkers, bitter housewives and scheming matchmakers. From the same vivid and creative mind that penned The Field and The Matchmaker,  Sive was Keane’s first play and it introduced the country to a powerful theatrical voice that influenced a generation of Ireland’s modern playwrights.

“PACED WITH IRRESISTIBLE MELODRAMATIC MOMENTUM, John B. Keane’s 1959 potboiler feels like the missing link between the hardscrabble folk dramas of O’Casey and Synge and the corruscating latter-day black comedies of McDonagh and McPherson. In director Ciaran O’Reilly’s crackling New York premiere production, this story unfolds with heartside grit and fablelike force.” —Time Out

“Theatre is all about creating a reality and making it not just immediate, but livable for us in the audience. SIVE INSPIRED SUCH REVERENCE ON THE NIGHT I SAW IT, TO THE POINT THAT GASPS WERE SOMETIMES AUDIBLE.” -NY Theatre.com

“A SOLID PRODUCTION.”      -NY Times

“A HANDSOME PRODUCTION WITH AN ANIMATED CAST.” -Backstage

“THE IRISH REPERTORY STRIKES AGAIN. CONTINUING ITS WELCOME STREAK OF PROVIDING EFFECTIVE STAGING OF INTRIGUING WORKS. IT EFFECTIVELY DELINEATES THE ASSORTMENT OF CHARACTERS WELL-WRITTEN BY THE AUTHOR AND BROUGHT DRAMATICALLY TO LIFE BY A FIRST-RATE CAST.” –William Wolf

“A HEARTFELT AND BEAUTIFULLY EXECUTED NEW PRODUCTION.”  –Irish Echo

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