Hangmen

 Hangmen
Golden Theatre
June 18, 2022 

Photo courtesy of Hangmen

Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen is a compelling, well-structured piece of theatre.  It starts off with a hanging, which naturally grabs the audience’s attention.  The mystery builds throughout Act I, propelling the action forward.  The stakes are raised in Act II as assumptions are made and conclusions drawn before all the facts are revealed.  Director Matthew Dunster builds the tension in each scene, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, while bringing them to a clear understanding of Mr. McDonagh’s larger themes. 

Photo courtesy of Hangmen

In the mid-1960s, capital punishment was abolished in England, except for those convicted of treason.  Harry (played by David Threlfall) conducted his final hanging on a man named Hennessy (played by understudy Sebastian Beacon), who was convicted of murder.  He proclaimed his innocence until the moment of his execution.  Two years later a stranger (played by Alfie Allen) enters Harry’s pub looking to rent a room.  He sweettalks Harry’s daughter, Shirley (played by Gaby French) into spend the day with him.  She is tired of her father and mother (played by Tracie Bennett) calling her a mope, so she goes off with him.  Syd (played by Andy Nyman), who was Harry’s assistant hangman, stops in the pub to warn Harry that a man he suspects killed a woman one year to the day of Hennessy’s hanging is in the area.  Syd convinces Harry that they hung the wrong man two years earlier.  It is now two year to the day after Hennessey’s hanging and Shirley has gone missing.  Syd meets up with Mooney, the stranger, later that night.  It is revealed that Syd sent him to the pub as a prank to get back at Harry for how he treated him when they worked together.  When Mooney tells Syd what he did with Shirley, Syd realizes he is over his head.  Moony returns to Harry’s pub, and Harry reverts to his old work habits.

Alfie Allen & David Threlfall
Photo courtesy of Hangmen

Playwright Martin McDonagh questions the validity of capital punishment based on the grey areas of the justice system.  The integrity of the hangmen are put to the test and laid bare for everyone to see. The action of the play is emotionally driven, and once taken, there is no going back.  Mr. McDonough makes us laugh at these dark realities so we can look at them with objective eyes.  This is a very powerful piece, leaving us to question our truths and previous understandings.   

Alfie Allen & Gaby French
Photo courtesy of Hangmen

Alfie Allen is mesmerizing as Mooney, the stranger who comes to town.  He is aptly described as “menacing,” yet never performs a violent act.  The full truth of his character is never revealed.  David Threllfall is strong and commanding as Harry.  He is a no-nonsense character who sees everything in black and white.  He is fully committed to his convictions.  Andy Nyman is neurotically funny as Syd.  His character instigates the action of the story, then freaks out when it gets more dangerous than he anticipated.  Gaby French is innocent and sympathetic as Shirley.  It is important that we care about this character, and Ms. French does an excellent job of capturing our hearts.  Tracie Bennett skillfully portrays the dichotomy in the character of Alice.  She is hard and cold, yet truly broken when her daughter goes missing.  The regulars at Harry’s pub, played by Jeremy Crutchley, Richard Hollis, John Horton, and Ryan Pope, have great physical and comic timing.  They add humor to the story and keep the action moving.   

Hangmen is one of Mr. McDonagh’s strongest works, and this production is superb. The scenic design by Anna Fleischle is a stunning use of space, level, and dimension.  Hangmen was scheduled for a limited run on Broadway, and closed on June 18.  

Domenick Danza