A
PLAYBOY of a different kind comes to the Abbey Theatre to mark the Company of
Ten's 70th anniversary.A
PLAYBOY of a different kind comes to the Abbey Theatre to mark the Company of
Ten's 70th anniversary.
The St Albans drama group is putting on J.M. Synge's classic play The Playboy of the Western World as its November production.
It is the month of the anniversary and to give added impetus, it was the favourite play of Company of Ten founder Terry Newell.
Synge's play was written in 1907 and is generally perceived to be as fresh as when he wrote it.
Occupying two days in a remote public house perched on cliffs on the wild coast of County Mayo, it moves from romance to tragedy, from thriller to comedy.
Young stranger Christy Mahon arrives late one dark autumn evening with a wild tale to tell.
He captivates the publican's daughter, entrances the locals and becomes a celebrity, basking in the glory of his new-found fame. What happens next is one of the many surprising twists in the plot.
Synge is a great storyteller and master of the art of the unexpected. He understands the strange ways of small isolated communities and the intricacies of their relationships.
He also has a shrewd eye for the rich comedy of life and the results are funny, heart-warming, surprising and sometimes tragic.
The play runs from Friday week, November 19, until November 27 and tickets are available from the Abbey Theatre box office on 01727 857861.
© Herts Advertiser, November 2004. Reproduced by permission