Review-The Lieutenant of Inishmore (4.8.06)

The Lieutenant of Inishmore (Saturday, 4.8.06)
Atlantic Theatre, New York, NY

By: Martin McDonagh

Starring: Domhnall Gleeson (Davey), Peter Gerety (Donny), David Wilmot (Padraic), Jeff Binder (James), Alison Pill (Mairead), Andrew Connolly (Christy), Dashiell Eaves (Joey), Brian D’arcy James (Brendan)

Martin McDonagh’s mischievous sense of violence and blood and gore has never been so clearly and obviously placed on stage. There has probably never been so much blood right on stage before. And it has probably never been so funny.

McDonagh is an absolute master of language, and this is no less true of The Lieutenant of Inishmore than it was with his prior (and subsequent) plays. The premise of this play is so absurdly simple, but it is the way it plays out (with such exaggeration) is what’s so humorous. The violence, of course, would still be outrageous, but the fact that it is all centered on the death of a cat is what makes the show so funny.

Notwithstanding that this is a McDonagh play with some brilliantly written passages, the utter violence of everything makes this quite different from McDonagh’s most recent Broadway outing, The Pillowman, which while violent was filled with gorgeously poetic moments. Not so here with Inishmore, which was actually written prior to Pillowman. If there are brilliant turns of phrase, it is the violence and wit that take over.

It doesn’t hurt that there are some absolutely brilliant performances. Leading the charge is David Wilmot, who is frightening, funny, and sexy as Padraic, the ruthless terrorist with a soft spot for his kitty. Wilmot makes the most of his touches of humanity (such as identifying with one of his torture victims over their pets. Domhnall Gleeson is likewise terrific as Davey, the dimwitted young lad who gets caught in the middle, and pairs well with Peter Gerety, similarly dimwitted and truly scared of his own son. Alison Pill is a pistol – quite literally – and an excellent foil to Wilmot’s Padraic. She is tough as nails, just as passionate, just as sharp, but also in some ways more consistent in her violence than even Padraic.

Rounding out the ensemble nicely with some humorous moments are Andrew Connolly, Dashiell Eaves, and Brian D’arcy James.There is little to find fault with this production, which is taught, constantly surprising, and side-splittingly funny. Though I imagine the impact may be dulled slightly upon second viewing (once you know what’s going to happen, the shock factor is diminished), but that takes nothing away from this terrific production of a terrific play.