Review Roundup: PHILADELPHIA, HERE I COME! at the Irish Rep

The Friel Project continues at Irish Rep, where Philadelphia, Here I Come! just celebrated its opening night. Philadelphia, Here I Come! was Friel's first major success, premiering in 1964 at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin and transferring to Broadway two years later.

Starring Ciaran Byrne, Peter Cormican, Terry Donnelly, Patrick Fitzgerald, Deirdre Madigan, David McElwee, Clare O'Malley, Ciarán O'Reilly, Tim Palmer, James Russell, A.J. Shively, and Emmet Earl Smith

Set in 1962, this classic bittersweet comedy revolves around the young Gar O'Donnell on the eve of his departure from Ireland to America. Gar's heartache from losing his girlfriend to a successful businessman propels him to accept an invitation to go and live with an aunt in Philadelphia. Despite the wild fantasies of what life in America might hold, and his yearning to escape the tedium of small town Ballybeg, a kind word from his taciturn father could change his mind.

Sara Holdren, Vulture: Under Oa??Reillya??s steady direction, Philadelphia can sometimes feel like the dramatic equivalent of a?oeold Screwballsa?? a?" ita??s straightforward and decent and, theatrically, not given to unpredictability. Still, some of the productiona??s strongest moments are the playa??s sketches of its menfolk. Ita??s in these scenes where Friela??s observational powers most fully emerge, his deftness with people who live right on the edge of caricature and yet, in startling lucid glimpses, can sense their own absurdity and helplessness.

Elysa Gardner, The Sun: In Irish Repa??s new staging, masterfully helmed by producing director Ciarán Oa??Reilly, that voice is relayed by a young musical theater veteran, A.J. Shively, whose formidable footwork was a high point of Broadwaya??s overstuffed a?oeParadise Square.a?? As Private Gar, Mr. Shively gets a more modest but wittier showcase for his song-and-dance skills a?" both Gars sing, and here they also jump and prance about nimbly a?" as well as a vehicle for his considerable gift with accents. His Gar, in dialogue with his public self, imagines himself in roles ranging from a posh British radio announcer to an old-school Hollywood screen siren.

Roma Torre, New York Stage Review: Oa??Reilly does bravura work both directing and portraying the hardened Screwballs. The veteran artist clearly knows the play all too well. Every scene, every character is crafted with a precise touch and he adds nuanced dimension in the most unexpected ways. The combined effect makes the production feel much bigger than the Irish Repa??s cramped stage might at first suggest. Kudos as well to set designer Charlie Corcoran and costumer Orla Long for capturing just the right tone in setting place and time.

Sandy MacDonald, New York Stage Review: Both actors are phenomenal. The Gars start out kidlike, doing their favorite bits up in his/their bedroom (nice, spare set design by Charlie Corcoran). Simultaneous psyched and scared to be heading off, the pair co-mimic, among other bits, John Wayne astride a battered old suitcase and Elvis rendering Gara??s gloss on the Al Jolson song that gives the play its title.

Average Rating: 85.0%