‘Cripple of Inishmaan’ director Nigel Vanner is keen to stress that the play is very funny, and that the word “cripple” should be taken in context.
“The play is set in 1934 in Ireland and the use of the word cripple was commonplace,” he says.
With rehearsals now in full swing for the Centrestage production, Vanner says he is pleased with the cast – having successfully negotiated what looked like it might be a shortage of males at the early auditions.
“They’re all working really well, and they come to every rehearsal well prepared.”
This includes managing to internalise any humorous reaction they might feel themselves.
“The humour comes when they do play it straight.”
He’s hoping the tradition of winter productions being well attended at Centrestage will hold for the Martin McDonagh-penned play which he describes as a comedy of character.
“A lot of the comedy comes from the situation.”
McDonagh’s plays are very well written, he says.
“He’s a fantastic playwright and… the dialogue that he writes is so good that everything anyone needs is there in the words.
“It is a very funny play. It really is. And it’s certainly not dark. There are elements that make you stop and think, but I think it’s a comedy, as much as anything else.”
Centrestage’s varied offering over the past few years has achieved good support from the community, he says.
The play is set in 1934 on the small island of Inishmaan, one of the Aran islands off the west coast of Ireland. Billy is an orphan and cripple who bears the brunt of the cruelty and pity of the inhabitants of the island.
When a film crew from Hollywood arrives on the neighbouring island of Inishmore to film a documentary about life on the islands, Billy, along with other young people see an opportunity to escape the life of poverty on the island and vie for a part in the film.
To everyone’s surprise he gets his chance to go to America, or so it seems. At the end various truths emerge and Billy finally gets a romantic response from his crush Helen, but maybe his future is not all roses.
The cast is –
Billy Claven: Ollie Richards
JohnnyPateenMike : John Curtis
Eileen Osbourne: Christine Gordon
Kate Osbourne: Dervla Murtagh
Helen McCormick: Willow Allum
Bartley McCormick: Frankie Bishop
BabbyBobby Bennet: Travis Delich
Mammy O’Dougal : Lindsey Seaton
Doctor McSharry: Flash Sandham
‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ runs June 17-27, at the Matai Street Playhouse with the box office opening on May 11. What’s On | Centre Stage Taupo Community Theatre
This story has also appeared on LakeFM: Inishmaan comedy comes from actors playing it straight
and Taupō and Tūrangi News: Centrestage: The Cripple of Inishmaan — Taupō & Tūrangi News | Local Central Plateau Taupo and Turangi News Source
