Pacific Theatre presents THE LONESOME WEST by Martin McDonagh

What is the true cost of forgiveness? In the Irish hamlet of Leenane, brothers Coleman and Valene eke out a squalid existence in their deceased father's house. It's hard to tell who they hate more: the outside world, or each other. When the hapless local priest Father Welsh attempts to reconcile the brothers, things spin wildly - and hilariously - out of hand. The Lonesome West, Pacific Theatre's first guest production of the 2017-2018 season, highlights Martin McDonagh's pitch-black dialogue and wicked sense of humour, but also tests the boundaries of family, faith, and forgiveness.

The Lonesome West is the first full-scale production for Cave Canem, a Production Company filled with Pacific Theatre stalwarts. John Voth and Kenton Klassen star as the brothers cursed to play out Cain and Abel scenarios over crisps and poteen (Irish moonshine). "The Lonesome West is exactly the sort of play we were looking for to launch Cave Canem Productions," says Klassen, who plays the vicious Coleman. "It is funny, gritty, and asks questions of the human condition that we are interested in - how do we cross divided lines to reach each other?"

Traversing vast divides features prominently throughout Pacific Theatre's season, but McDonagh's script narrows the focus to a rift within a single home. Known in the film world as the writer/director of In Bruges, McDonagh is at home in Ireland's wild western counties, having collected Tonys for two previous plays set in Leenane: The Beauty Queen Of Leenane and A Skull In Connemara. Lonesome West completes the trilogy, but ignorance of the brother's eccentric world is no impediment to enjoying their spirited war of words (and sometimes fists). As Coleman and Valene build mountains of petty grievances, Father Welsh and Girleen, a local bootlegger, attempt to wade through the fighting and dig down to re-establish some spark of brotherly love.

The bulk of the play takes place in the brothers' run-down kitchen, recreated in all its grimy glory on the Pacific Theatre stage. From Valene's meticulously organized collection of wax saint figurines to the squat potbellied stove, audiences can expect to be transported to the rolling hills of Ireland... though not, perhaps, to a peaceful idyll. Ron Reed, Pacific Theatre's Artistic Director, put his stamp of approval on the project: "An Irish tale of murder and (nearly) lost souls... it's even darker than In Bruges, but just as funny - and just as spiritually compelling."

Cave Canem is a new Vancouver theatre and film Production Company dedicated to cultivating communities across divided lines. To learn more, visit cavecanemproductions.com, or on FB/Instagram/Twitter @cavecanemprod.

Directed by Evan Frayne. Featuring Kenton Klassen, John Voth, Sebastien Archibald, and Paige Louter. Set Design by Sandy Margaret. Costume Design by Kaitlin Williams. Sound Design by Matthew MacDonald-Bain and Curtis Tweedie. Lighting Design by Phil Miguel. Stage Management by Shelby Bushell.

Details: THE LONESOME WEST by Martin McDonagh When: Oct 20 - Nov 11, Weds-Sat at 8pm with 2pm matinees Saturdays. Pay-what-you-can preview Oct 19. Where: Pacific Theatre, 1440 W 12th Ave (at Hemlock), Vancouver, BC Tickets: $20-36.50 (not incl. HST). To book visit pacifictheatre.org or call 604.731.5518.

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