Playwright John Patrick Shanley
Outside Mullingar
By John Patrick Shanley
Directed by Jeff Mangum
Review by Kate Barry
Entire contents are copyright © 2015 Kate Barry. All rights reserved.
Outside Mullingar overflows with beautiful prose and sharp wit. With love blossoming over nearly a lifetime and an ever-changing current of family life, this production at Little Colonel Playhouse shows the many kinds of love and how often these different forms of love are intertwined.
As father and son, Tony and Anthony Reilly, Michael McCollum and Martin French are complete opposites. McCollum’s Tony is a salt of the earth farmer wrapped in tradition. French plays his son, Anthony as an eccentric loner fascinated with the changing world, which he observes from afar. Where McCollum presents strong forceful emotions as Tony, French is subtle in his awkward nature, which results in a stronger pay off in the family squabbles about their farm as well as the tender bedside moments between son and ailing father.
Jayme Thomas and Rena Cherry Brown play daughter and mother, Rosemary and Aoife, respectfully. Brown provides a great supporting performance as Aoife, with perfect timing and urgency for her daughter to marry. Brown’s Aoife is a delight as she sifts her way through gossi, old grudges, and clever turns of phrase. As Rosemary, Thomas balances headstrong stubbornness with yearning for faraway places. Thomas and French are at their strongest in the play’s final scene. Here, she and French are fully present in the moment as they come to terms with their love for one another and their stagnated emotions, resulting in a tender intimacy.
With lovely Irish brogues and a story that explores what it means to love someone, Outside Mullingar at Little Colonel Playhouse is as quaint and charming as the Irish countryside in which it is set.
Outside Mullingar
November 6, 7, 12, 13 & 14 @ 7:30pm
November 8 & 15 @ 2:00pm
Tickets: $15 Adults
$12 Seniors and Students
Reservations recommended: 588-1557
Little Colonel Playhouse
302 Mount Mercy Dr
Pewee Valley, Kentucky
(502) 588-1557
http://littlecolonel.net
Kate Barry earned her Bachelors in English with a Theater minor from Bellarmine University in 2008. She has worked with many different companies around town including Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, Bunbury Theater, Louisville Repertory Company, Walden Theater, Finnigan Productions and you have probably purchased tickets from her at that little performing arts center on Main Street as well. In 2012, her short play “PlayList” won festival favorite in the Finnigan Festival of Funky Fresh Fun. She has written for Leo Weekly and TheatreLouisville.com as well. Thanks for reading!
