Review: THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN at Brigit Saint Brigit Theatre Company is Something Special!
By: Christine Swerczek Feb. 12, 2018
I had the pleasure of attending Martin McDonagh's (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri) THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN at Omaha's Brigit Saint Brigit Theatre Company (BSB). Performed in a Gothic style chamber of the First Central Congregational Church, this interesting venue added to the ambiance. Combine a rustic set accented by a fabulous textured backdrop, background Irish music, a handful of talented actors, and an intriguing script of twists and turns, and all the elements for an exceptional production are there.
Cathy Kurz, founder of BSB and director of this play, has a special interest in Irish culture and has mounted several works by Irish authors. "The Cripple of Inishmaan" is Martin McDonagh's 1997 play that was inspired by movie director Robert J. Flahery's visit to the neighboring island of Inishmore in 1934 to shoot his documentary "The Man of Aran." The documentary presents the local lifestyle as little more than gossip and fishing and farming rocks.
No wonder Billy Clavin (Garett Garniss) is eager to escape the trappings of island life. Crippled from birth, he struggles to shake free from his nickname "Cripple Billy" and to find something more stimulating than reading books and staring at cows. Billy tricks recently widowed fisherman Babbybobby Bennett (Jeremy Earl) into taking him along in his carraugh (boat) to watch the filming at nearby Inishmore. He produces a falsified letter from Dr. McSharry (Steve Miller) claiming that he has tuberculosis. Billy harbors a secret desire to appear in a film and move to Hollywood. Siblings Bartley (Matt Cummins) and Helen (Anna Jordan) McCormick also tag along as Helen considers herself an incomparable beauty who belongs on the big screen.
Helen works for the Egg Man, but pegs the eggs at anything or anyone who displeases her more readily than she sells them. She teases the men on the island, showing no regard to whether they are fishermen or priests. Billy is infatuated with her, despite her steady stream of invective. She is quick to verbally and physically abuse her soft minded brother Bartley who only wants a telescope and American sweeties.
Bartley persistently asks Billy's foster aunt Eileen Osbourne (Melissa Jarecke) if she has any other sweeties in her shop, to which she repeatedly responds, "only what you see." There are, of course, those that she has secreted away to eat when she is stressed. Eileen's sister, Kate (Sue Mouttet), who speaks to her pet rock, shares her propensity for repetition by constantly uttering, "no word, no word, no word," worrying about Billy's whereabouts.
When Babbybobby returns from Inishmore with the siblings, but not Billy, questions arise and are not answered for months. Self-appointed news source (town gossip) Johnnypateenmike O'Dougal (Brent Spencer) fuels the fire with rumors and speculation. When he is not digging up or peddling his stories, Johnnypateenmike takes care of his elderly Mammy (Lois Nemic) by feeding her a diet of whiskey, both of them hoping she will drink herself to death.
This cast is superb. The story is fascinating. McDonagh infuses his characters with liberal doses of bad with the good; good with the bad. They are funny people with a dark side, good people with flaws. What is seen is not the whole truth. One of the biggest reveals is what actually happened to Billy's parents. The story is that they drowned themselves. But is that what really happened? No one is telling Billy. In a town quick to gossip, this topic is off limits, but in a surprising twist near the end of the story, we learn the truth.
THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN is showing at BSB in the First Congregational Church at 421 S. 36th Street in Omaha on select dates through February 25. See it. It's good. And that is the truth!
Photo Credit: Anna Jordan and Garett Garniss by Scott Kurz
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