The Cripple of Inishmaan - Acting Edition (Acting Edition for Theater Productions) Paperback – October 1, 1998

On Broadway I saw productions of Martin McDonagh's "The Pillowman" and the "The Lieutenant of Inishmore;" the latter play had more blood and guts spread over the stage than any play within memory; the former was a dark, scary play that shocked even blasé New York audiences. This play is about simple folk in a small village in 1934, and one could be forgiven for considering them simple-minded as well. Elements of theater of the absurd, farce, vaudeville-like routines, and inane dialogue add to the great comic effects achieved in this piece. Two women run a grocery store that seems to be overstocked with cans of peas. There is no doubt that Cripple Billy is a cripple because the other characters are constantly mentioning it and calling him Cripple Billy. Some of the jokes are stupid, but nonetheless funny.Billy even goes to Hollywood to seek fame and fortune. Billy cons a boatman into taking him to a nearby island where Robert Flaherty is filming his documentary "Man of Aran."Billy stares at cows, Helen pegs eggs at Father Barratt, and Aunt Kate talks to a stone.Johnnypateenmike, the village gossip,(characters use long names in addressing each other) ferrets out and carries the news around the village. He keeps his Mammy in her nineties drunk and hopes she'll croak. These are like stage Irish types, stock characters. McDonagh is not aiming for realistic portrayals. This is farcical stuff with the flaky characters uttering vaudeville-like riffs. Some of the dialogue sounds nonsensical, absurdist, but somehow the plot gets moved along, and the audience gets entertained by these nut cases. It's almost like a hillbilly comedy. The play has its darker elements because McDonagh is not going to let the audience leave with a happy ending. Violence and cruelty are never far out of sight. If it plays as well as it reads, I'm sure it would be a hilarious theater experience.

Martin McDonagh is a genius of dark comedy. The Cripple of Inishmaan beautifully balances some really very bitter events with hilarious dialogue. Each of the characters is complex and layered. Even the cruel have depths of kindness and sympathy, and the sympathetic have hidden cruelty.The play is incredibly engaging and keeps moving. If you're not familiar with Irish dialect it might be a bit confusing and tricky to navigate, but you pick up the colloquialisms as you read.It was truly enjoyable and I would love to see a production of it.

Among the earlier plays by Martin McDonagh - those set in far west Ireland - this and "Beauty Queen of Leenane" are my favorites.

Great black comedy from the author of the screenplay for In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths. Most accessible of all Martin McDonough scripts to a general audience.

Loved the play, very funny and the ending is very deep and left me thinking. Would recommend.

I can't get enough of Martin McDonagh. So different, unique and just plain brilliant. I believe Daniel Radcliffe is doing this McDonagh show in the West End next year too!

Good to read the play before seeing it, because the Irish accents are too thick to follow, one gets the general gist

A great play and a great story. The Irish have always had the best theater.