The Beauty Queen
of Leenane
Druid
BAM Harvey Theater
January 14, 2017
 |
| Photo courtesy of Druid |
The
Druid production of the Beauty Queen of Leenane is playing at the BAM Harvey Theater through February 5. It is directed by Garry Hines, who directed
the original production twenty years ago.
Marie Mullen, who won the Tony Award in 1998 for playing Maureen,
returns in the role of Mag, Maureen’s arduous mother. The production, touring from Galway City in
the West of Ireland, is not to be missed.
The play is powerful, and the performances are stellar.
 |
| Aisling O'Sullivan & Marie Mullen Photo courtesy of Druid |
Maureen
Folan (played by Aisling O’Sullivan) cares for her seventy year old mother, Mag
(played by Marie Mullen). The situation
is stifling for Maureen. Her mother is
demanding and degrading. When Maureen
reconnects with an old school friend, Pato Dooley (played by Marty Rea), Mag
pulls out all the stops to keep her daughter under her thumb. The results are catastrophic and heart-rending.
 |
| Marty Rae & Aisling O'Sullivan Photo courtesy of Druid |
Aisling
O’Sullivan delivers a powerful performance as Maureen. As the play progresses, her shocking
backstory is revealed. Ms. O’Sullivan
expands with each detail and builds a deeply rooted and truthful character. Marie Mullen is brutal and absorbing as Mag
Folan. The bond these two women create between
their characters drives the action toward its tragic climax. Mary Rae is tender and honest as Pato Dooley,
and Aaron Monaghan delivers the laughs as his brother, Ray Dooley.
The
BAM Harvey Theater is the perfect venue for this “modern Irish classic,”
produced by the company where it originated.
“This production toured to Ireland’s major cities before embarking on
this coast-to-coast tour of prestigious US venues and will complete its
extensive international run at the esteemed Hong Kong Arts Festival.”* It is
not to be missed. Get your tickets right
away!
Domenick Danza
*
Quotes are from the BAM Harvey Theater program notes.
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