Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Irish Rep concludes its successful Friel-focused season with a solid revival of MOLLY SWEENEY

• By drediman
• June 9, 2024
• No Comments

Irish Repertory Theatre is closing out its season — which is dedicated to the works of the great Brian Friel (the curated season has been officially marketed as “The Friel Project”) — with the master playwright’s Molly Sweeney, which tells the story of a blind woman who decides to proceed with a procedure to attempt to restore her sight. Preceding the revival of the somewhat overlooked 1994 play, the other offerings of the highly successful season were top-notch productions of Translations (1980), Aristocrats (1979), and Philadelphia, Here I Come! (1964) — all of which benefited from the intimacy afforded by the Chelsea venue, as well as some well-judged acting all around.

The company’s production of Molly Sweeney is no different, featuring a trio of strong performances that sensitively recount the events leading up to and after the aforementioned operation — besides Molly, her ophthalmologist Mr. Rice and her husband Frank are also given voice in what can be best described as three interlocking Rashomon-like monologues (Friel’s superb 1979 play Faith Healer also used the same technique). In the title role, Sarah Street gives a sturdy, clear-eyed performance and does particularly well to highlight the character’s strength and unsentimental resilience in the face of the frightening unknown. As Mr. Rice and Frank, Irish Rep usual suspects Rufus Collins and John Keating, respectively, are in top form, turning in detailed performances that vividly animate their characters’ often frustrating idiosyncrasies.

The solid production has been directed by artistic director Charlotte Moore, whose subtle staging feels just right for Friel’s play of penetrating ideas and beguiling first-hand storytelling. Overall, Irish Rep’s Friel Project retrospective has given audiences the rare opportunity to get a full glimpse of the expansiveness of Friel’s genius — each of the very different plays were written over an impressive 30-year span, each in four disparate decades — especially his keen insight into the human psyche and soul. Although a part of me wishes that more marquee works like Faith Healer and Dancing at Lughnasa were included into the mix, the season was a thoroughly satisfying deep dive into Friel’s canon and life Ballybeg.

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MOLLY SWEENEY
Off-Broadway, Play
Irish Repertory Theatre
2 hours, 20 minutes (with one intermission)
Through June 30