An Taibhdhearc to stage epic Murphy play for Arts Festival

Arts Week with Bernie Ni Fhlatharta

A powerful, epic drama written by Tom Murphy and translated into Irish for the Taibhdhearc stage will be accessible to everyone, including non-Irish speakers, thanks to the introduction of sur-titles in English in the newly refurbished theatre.

It is only the second time ever the play, The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant, will be staged and it’s the first time in Irish. An Tíoránach Drogallach has been translated by Macdara Ó Fatharta, of Ros na Run fame, who also acts in the play.

It is the story of a mother consumed by greed who loses her fortunes in the downturn and has to depend on the charity of her favourite son. Its director, Anne McCabe, describes it as a King Lear in reverse with a mother and three sons. The tragedy of the story, says Anne, is that the mother chooses the wrong son as her beneficiary.

There are family dynamics of greed, betrayal and hypocrisy, and Anne says it is a very appropriate play in the current economic climate.

Tuam-born playwright Tom Murphy wrote the drama, basing it on a Russian novel and when it was first staged (for the only time as yet) in Dublin in 2009, it starred Marie Mullen as the mother.

In the Abbey production it was presented a period costume drama, but for An Taibhdhearc, Anne has decided to strip back the stage to make it a stylised, timeless piece. And though obviously in a rural setting, there will be nothing to indicate where exactly or when the action takes place.

“Tom Murphy tends to be naturalist in the Irish way and though it’s based on a Russian novel from the 1880s, I wanted to make it less about the costumes and furniture and more about the big issues it raises. This is an epic, powerful drama dealing with darkness but with a few touches of comedy. There has to be when it’s about a servant and ruling class.

“My own interest in directing the play was because of its keen resonance of our time – property no longer makes us happy. Another reason I was attracted to it was because it’s an absolutely fantastic part for a woman. The mother here is played by Mairéad Ní Chonghaile and she is completely committed to her craft,” she said.

Anne is backed up by what she describes as “a fantastic cast”. There are 12 in all, half of them from TG4’s Ros na Rún, who have all worked with Anne.

“But this is different from directing in TV where it’s all about camera angles. I am enjoying spending so much time with the cast (a four-week rehearsal period) as it gives more time for character development.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.