The play is set on the small Aran Islands community of Inishmaan (Inis Meáin) off the Western Coast of Ireland in 1934, where the inhabitants are excited to learn of a Hollywood film crew's arrival in neighbouring Inishmore (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.... or so some believe.[1]
"Cripple" Billy Claven is a disabled orphan living with his aunts Kate and Eileen Osbourne on the Irish island of Inishmaan. He is regularly ridiculed by the locals for his condition and odd habits, in particular his crush Helen, and is the subject of a rumor that his parents tried to kill him as a baby before they themselves died. The only people who show him any sympathy are his personal doctor McSharry and Johnnypateenmike, the town gossip who is attempting to help his alcoholic mother drink herself to death to collect her insurance.
One day, Billy learns that American filmmaker Robert Flaherty is on a neighboring island filming a documentary about life on the local islands. Desperate to escape the toxic needling of the community, who believe his involvement in the documentary is nothing more than a pipe dream, Billy manipulates local fisherman Bobby Bennet into believing he contracted a similar case of tuberculosis that his wife had in order to go to the filming. Bobby later informs Kate and Eileen that Billy drowned while returning to town, much to their shock.
The news of Billy's apparent death shakes up the small community. Kate and Eileen become despondent over what happened; Helen becomes more aggressive, and regularly takes it out on her younger brother Bartley; Johnny feels that his gossip giving has no purpose now that his best listener is gone. Fortunately, Billy miraculously returns during a showing of the documentary, having told Bobby to fake his death because he had been picked up by the American producers for another film, an opportunity that, ultimately, didn't pan out like he hoped. Unfortunately, the mood is soured when Bobby, having realized Billy's deception, severely beats him with a pipe, despite McSharry confirming moments later that he might have contracted TB prior to traveling stateside. Billy is further demoralized when, despite Johnny's attempt to spin a romantic story about his parents' deaths, he overhears his aunts confirming that his parents died trying to kill him, and Johnny had been fronting the money for his medical expenses the whole time. His mood is lifted slightly when Helen agrees to a date in the middle of the night in order to preserve her reputation, ending the play there.
The play was produced Off-Broadway by the Atlantic Theater Company in conjunction with The Druid Theatre Company of Galway, Ireland, opening on 21 December 2008. Directed by Garry Hynes, the cast featured Kerry Condon, Andrew Connolly, Laurence Kinlan, Dearbhla Molloy, Aaron Monaghan, Marie Mullen, Patricia O'Connell, David Pearse and John C. Vennema.[5]
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".[8]
Characters
Billy Claven, disabled orphan
Kate Osbourne, Billy's adoptive aunt (known to talk to stones)
Eileen Osbourne, Billy's other adoptive aunt and Kate's sister (is known to hide candy)
Johnnypateenmike, the town gossip
Helen McCormick, a tough girl Billy has had a crush on for some time
Bartley McCormick, Helen's brother (the village idiot)
Babbybobby Bennett, a boatman whose wife died of tuberculosis
The 2014 Broadway production received six 2014 Tony Award nominations: Best Revival of a Play, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Sarah Greene), Best Scenic Design of a Play (Christopher Oram), Best Lighting Design of a Play (Paule Constable), Best Sound Design of a Play (Alex Baranowski) and Best Direction of a Play (Michael Grandage).[9]
Book
McDonagh, Martin. The Cripple of Inishmaan. Methuen Modern Plays. 1997. (Hardcover) ISBN0-413-71590-6
McDonagh, Martin. The Cripple of Inishmaan. Vintage International. 1998. (Paperback) ISBN0-375-70523-6
References
^"The Cripple of Inishmaan: A CurtainUp Review". Retrieved 9 May 2006.
^"National Theatre: Past Productions: 1996-2000". Retrieved 9 May 2006.
^. Archived from the original on 3 October 2006. Retrieved 9 May 2006.
^"'The Cripple of Inishmaan' 1998" lortel.org, retrieved 6 April 2016
^Jones, Kenneth. "Marie Mullen, Beauty Queen Tony Winner, Begins Cripple of Inishmaan Run in NYC" 2 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine Playbill, 9 December 2008
^Hetrick, Adam. "Martin McDonagh's The Cripple of Inishmaan, Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Begins Broadway Previews April 12" 2 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine Playbill, 12 April 2014
^Billington, Michael (18 June 2013). "The Cripple of Inishmaan – review". The Guardian.
^New York Times description of performance of play on Inishmaan
^Gans, Andrew. "68th Annual Tony Awards Nominations Announced; 'Gentleman's Guide' Leads the Pack" playbill.com, 29 April 2014
cripple, inishmaan, dark, comedy, martin, mcdonagh, links, story, real, life, filming, documentary, aran, methuen, coverwritten, bymartin, mcdonaghcharacters, cripple, billy, clavenkate, osbournebabbybobbyhelen, mccormickeileen, osbournedoctor, mcsharrybartley. 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 The Cripple of InishmaanMethuen coverWritten byMartin McDonaghCharacters Cripple Billy ClavenKate OsbourneBabbybobbyHelen McCormickEileen OsbourneDoctor McSharryBartley McCormickJohnnypateenmikeMammyDate premiered12 December 1996 12 December 1996 Place premieredRoyal National Theatre LondonOriginal languageEnglishSubjectdisability cruelty HollywoodGenreBlack comedySettingInishmaan 1934The play is set on the small Aran Islands community of Inishmaan Inis Meain off the Western Coast of Ireland in 1934 where the inhabitants are excited to learn of a Hollywood film crew s arrival in neighbouring Inishmore Inis Mor 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 or so some believe 1 Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Productions 3 Critique 4 Characters 5 Awards and nominations 6 Book 7 References 8 External linksSynopsis Edit Cripple Billy Claven is a disabled orphan living with his aunts Kate and Eileen Osbourne on the Irish island of Inishmaan He is regularly ridiculed by the locals for his condition and odd habits in particular his crush Helen and is the subject of a rumor that his parents tried to kill him as a baby before they themselves died The only people who show him any sympathy are his personal doctor McSharry and Johnnypateenmike the town gossip who is attempting to help his alcoholic mother drink herself to death to collect her insurance One day Billy learns that American filmmaker Robert Flaherty is on a neighboring island filming a documentary about life on the local islands Desperate to escape the toxic needling of the community who believe his involvement in the documentary is nothing more than a pipe dream Billy manipulates local fisherman Bobby Bennet into believing he contracted a similar case of tuberculosis that his wife had in order to go to the filming Bobby later informs Kate and Eileen that Billy drowned while returning to town much to their shock The news of Billy s apparent death shakes up the small community Kate and Eileen become despondent over what happened Helen becomes more aggressive and regularly takes it out on her younger brother Bartley Johnny feels that his gossip giving has no purpose now that his best listener is gone Fortunately Billy miraculously returns during a showing of the documentary having told Bobby to fake his death because he had been picked up by the American producers for another film an opportunity that ultimately didn t pan out like he hoped Unfortunately the mood is soured when Bobby having realized Billy s deception severely beats him with a pipe despite McSharry confirming moments later that he might have contracted TB prior to traveling stateside Billy is further demoralized when despite Johnny s attempt to spin a romantic story about his parents deaths he overhears his aunts confirming that his parents died trying to kill him and Johnny had been fronting the money for his medical expenses the whole time His mood is lifted slightly when Helen agrees to a date in the middle of the night in order to preserve her reputation ending the play there Productions Edit Inishmaan shaded red on a map of Ireland The Cripple of Inishmaan opened on 12 December 1996 at Royal National Theatre Cottesloe in London 2 In April 1998 it opened Off Broadway at the Joseph Papp Public Theater again with Ruaidhri Conroy in the title role 3 4 In the same year Frederick Koehler played Billy in Los Angeles The play was produced Off Broadway by the Atlantic Theater Company in conjunction with The Druid Theatre Company of Galway Ireland opening on 21 December 2008 Directed by Garry Hynes the cast featured Kerry Condon Andrew Connolly Laurence Kinlan Dearbhla Molloy Aaron Monaghan Marie Mullen Patricia O Connell David Pearse and John C Vennema 5 In 2013 the play returned to the Noel Coward Theatre in London s 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 at the Cort Theatre for a limited run with Opening Night on 20 April 2014 6 Critique Edit John Millington Synge on Inishmaan 1898 In The Cripple of Inishmaan McDonagh critiques the view of islanders given by Synge in plays like Riders to the Sea 7 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 8 Characters EditBilly Claven disabled orphan Kate Osbourne Billy s adoptive aunt known to talk to stones Eileen Osbourne Billy s other adoptive aunt and Kate s sister is known to hide candy Johnnypateenmike the town gossip Helen McCormick a tough girl Billy has had a crush on for some time Bartley McCormick Helen s brother the village idiot Babbybobby Bennett a boatman whose wife died of tuberculosis Doctor McSharry the town doctor Mammy O Dougal Johnny s alcoholic 90 year old mother is trying to drink herself dead Awards and nominations EditThe 2014 Broadway production received six 2014 Tony Award nominations Best Revival of a Play Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play Sarah Greene Best Scenic Design of a Play Christopher Oram Best Lighting Design of a Play Paule Constable Best Sound Design of a Play Alex Baranowski and Best Direction of a Play Michael Grandage 9 Book EditMcDonagh 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 6References Edit The Cripple of Inishmaan A CurtainUp Review Retrieved 9 May 2006 National Theatre Past Productions 1996 2000 Retrieved 9 May 2006 The Public Theater Past Productions The Cripple of Inishmaan Archived from the original on 3 October 2006 Retrieved 9 May 2006 The Cripple of Inishmaan 1998 lortel org retrieved 6 April 2016 Jones Kenneth Marie Mullen Beauty Queen Tony Winner Begins Cripple of Inishmaan Run in NYC Archived 2 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine Playbill 9 December 2008 Hetrick Adam Martin McDonagh s The Cripple of Inishmaan Starring Daniel Radcliffe Begins Broadway Previews April 12 Archived 2 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine Playbill 12 April 2014 Billington Michael 18 June 2013 The Cripple of Inishmaan review The Guardian New York Times description of performance of play on Inishmaan Gans Andrew 68th Annual Tony Awards Nominations Announced Gentleman s Guide Leads the Pack playbill com 29 April 2014External links EditThe Cripple of Inishmaan at the Internet Off Broadway Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Cripple of Inishmaan amp oldid 1141558661, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
