Review: OUTSIDE MULLINGAR Proves to be John Patrick Shanley's Most Personal Play

John Patrick Shanley has won many accolades throughout his career as a poet and playwright. The author of more than 23 plays, including 80 productions in North America, Shanley won the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for his play "Doubt" and an Oscar for his screenplay, "Moonstruck." But his identity as an Irish-American did not truly happen until 1993 when he traveled back to his family's farm in Ireland at the request of his ailing father who asked to be taken home. The trip back spoke to his poetic heart, and he knew he had to write about his feelings of grief and romantic hunger, stating "When I sat with my father in the farm kitchen and listened to my Irish family talk, this amazing language these folks were speaking... I felt free suddenly, free to be Irish." His resulting play OUTSIDE MULLINGAR is often referred to as an "Irish Moonstruck," and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play, two Outer Circle Critics Awards and two Drama Desk Awards.

In the play, family farms, feuds and fences have separated neighbors Rosemary and Anthony since childhood. These hopeless singletons will need to overcome these obstacles and their own romantic fears to find happiness. But even their parents know this task seems impossible for their children. Full of dry humor and poetic prose, Shanley's tender-hearted portrayal reminds us it's never too late to take a chance on love.

When the lights first rise, Anthony Reilly (Dan Donahue) and his father Tony (Jarlath Conroy) have returned home to their farmhouse kitchen in rural Ireland after the funeral of their long-time neighbor Chris Muldoon, who was viewed by everyone as a saint among men even though he had a love for killing crows with a his shotgun. A visit for tea and sympathy with his widow Aoife (Robin Pearson Rose) leads to a discussion of what the future holds for both farms and families. Conroy and Pearson Rose add the wisdom of age to their dialogue, and the respect and love these two neighbors have for each other and their family shines through every moment.

We soon learn Anthony feels unsettled and is not too thrilled at the prospect of spending his entire life on such an isolated and lonely spot. Even his father knows this and has been making plans to leave the farm to his brother's son Adam, now living in America who has never seen the land but whom he feels is "more of a Reilly" than a Kelly like Anthony who he feels lacks a real backbone and devotion to the land. (Both Anthony and Kelly are real-life family names for Shanley.) Aoife's daughter Rosemary (Jessica Collins) loves their farm and is devoted to it, but harbors a long-lived and deep-seated dislike for Anthony that has fueled the long-standing feud over property lines and fences.

In a touching scene in the middle of a very realistic rainstorm, Anthony tries to wheedle information from Rosemary about the small plot of land which her family bought from his 20 years ago, causing the Reillys to have to pass through two gates to get to their home from the road. It is very apparent these two singletons like each other but this small piece of land may keep them from realizing how perfect they are for each other, all because of something that happened between them when they were children. And time has done little to ease the bickering. How will they ever be able to live out their lives so close to one another without killing each other?

Of course Shanley manages to add poetry to the task of getting these two together by creating a lovely final scene during which secrets are revealed and obstacles overcome to allow Anthony and Rosemary to accept what fate has always intended for them. Beautifully directed by Randall Arney, I was not the only audience member to have tears in my eyes as I laughed at the music in Shanley's words thanks to the brilliant portrayals by actors Collins, Donahue, Conroy, and Pearson Rose who each capture the Irish heart and soul of their characters. They have done Shanley and his Irish memories proud.

OUTSIDE MULLINGAR, written by John Patrick Shanley and directed by Randall Arney, continues through Sunday, December 20, 2015, at the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024. Performances on

Tuesday - Friday at 8:00pm, Saturday at 3:00pm and 8:00pm, and Sunday at 2:00pm and 7:00pm. Run time is 90 minutes without an intermission

Ticket prices are $32 - $82 and are available in-person at the Geffen Playhouse box office, via phone at 310.208.5454 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.com.

Photos by Michael Lamont.

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