The Cripple of Inishmaan

by Martin McDonagh

 

The Cripple of Inishmaan is a dark comedy by Martin McDonagh who links the story to the real life filming of the documentary Man of Aran.

 

Set on the small Aran Islands community of Inis Meáin off the Western Coast of Ireland, c. 1934, the inhabitants are excited to learn of a Hollywood film crew’s arrival in neighbouring Inis Mór to make a documentary about life on the islands. “Cripple” Billy Claven, eager to escape the gossip, poverty and boredom of Inishmaan, vies for a part in the film, and to everyone’s surprise, the orphan and outcast gets his chance.^[1]

 

Run

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Date	Type & Verison	Theatre
Dec 12, 1996 – ?	Play / Original	Royal National Theatre, London UK.
Apr 07, 1998 – Apr 17, 1998	Play / Original	Joseph Papp Public Theater, New York NY
Dec 21, 2008 – Mar 15, 2009	Play / Revival	Linda Gross Theater New York NY
Jun 08, 2013- Aug 31, 2013	Play / Revival	Noel Coward Theatre, London UK
Apr 20, 2014 – Jul 20, 2014	Play / Revival	Cort Theatre, New York NY

 

 

Daniel Radcliffe and Pat Shortt West End 2013 Production

The Play

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The Cripple of Inishmaan opened on 12 December 1996 at Royal National Theatre (Cottesloe) in London.^[2] In 1998, it opened at Joseph Papp Public Theater in New York City, again with Ruaidhri Conroy in the title role.^[3] In the same year, Frederick Koehler played Billy in Los Angeles. In December 2008, The Cripple of Inishmaan was produced in New York City by the Atlantic Theater Company in conjunction with The Druid Theatre Company of Galway, Ireland.

In 2013 the play returned to the West End for a sold-out run starring Daniel Radcliffe as Cripple Billy and with Michael Grandage directing. In Spring 2014 this production transferred to Broadway’s Cort Theatre for a limited run, with Opening Night on 20 April 2014. ^[4]

Critique

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Martin McDonagh said of his play, “I hope someday they’ll be regarded as true Irish stories; I don’t think they are at this minute. It will take a long time for the baggage of me being a Londoner to be in the past.” In an interview, after the play was performed on Inishmaan in 2011, it was reported that “Mr. McDonagh used an unprintable euphemism to explain that it has never been his intent to take the measure of his fellow Irishmen cruelly”.^[5]

 

Characters

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• Billy Claven, a crippled orphan
• Kate Osbourne, Billy’s adoptive aunt who has been known to talk to stones

• Eileen Osbourne, Billy’s other adoptive aunt and Kate’s sister

• Johnnypateenmike, the town gossip

• Helen McCormick, a tough girl Billy has had a crush on for some time

• Bartley McCormick, Helen’s brother

• Babbybobby Bennett, a boatman whose wife died of tuberculosis

• Doctor McSharry, the town doctor

• Mammy O’Dougal, Johnny’s alcoholic 90 year-old mother

 

Broadway 2014 Cast

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Daniel Radcliffe

Billy

Ingrid Craigie	Kate Osborne
Pádraic Delaney	Babbybobby
Sarah Greene	Helen McCormick
Gillian Hanna	Eileen Osborne
Gary Lilburn	Doctor
Conor MacNeill	Bartley McCormick
Pat Shortt	Johnnypateenmike
June Watson	Mammy

 

Book

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• McDonagh, Martin. The Cripple of Inishmaan. Methuen Modern Plays. 1997. (Hardcover) ISBN 0-413-71590-6
• McDonagh, Martin. The Cripple of Inishmaan. Vintage International. 1998. (Paperback) ISBN 0-375-70523-6

 

References

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1. “The Cripple Of Inishmaan: A CurtainUp Review”. Retrieved 2006-05-09.
2. “National Theatre: Past Productions: 1996-2000″. Retrieved 2006-05-09.
3. “The Public Theater: Past Productions: The Cripple of Inishmaan”. Archived from the original on 2006-10-03. Retrieved 2006-05-09.
4. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/186582-Daniel-Radcliffe-Will-Star-in-Broadway-Transfer-of-Martin-McDonaghs-The-Cripple-of-Inishmaan
5. New York TImes decription of performance of play on Inishmaan

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