QR Theatre Review: The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Aidan Turner of Poldark fame stars in the current production of Martin McDonagh’s black comedy, The Lieutenant of Inishmore in London’s Noel Coward theatre. Turner plays Mad Padraic, a character which could not be further removed from the eponymous mine owner of his BBC drama. Padraic is a man dubbed too mad for the IRA, whilst also frustrating the leadership of the INLA. Upon learning his pet cat and best friend, Wee Thomas, is poorly he heads to his home on the island of Inishmore off the coast of Galway to find Wee Thomas dead. The events which follow are a blackly-comic and hyper-violent story which is exactly in line with what we have come to expect from McDonagh’s film work.

Turner’s presence alone is certainly the reason for much of the publicity of the play. Publicity which is in stark contrast to the public struggle McDonagh faced in 2001 to get the show staged on the west end or Broadway after a run at the Barbican with McDonagh famously lambasting the “gutless and lily-livered” producers who refused to stage the play due to fear of offending. Despite this, the play has been staged around the world in various forms prior to this phenomenal west end revival.

This is comedy at its darkest, throughout his work, McDonagh exhibits an ability to take a situation to its darkest, most violent extreme and still play it for laughs. McDonagh’s black humour is sewn through this play, from smaller moments where Padraic fails to understand why a man whose eye he shot out with a crossbow would hold a grudge to more obvious punchlines such as Padraic’s pledge not to wed until Ireland is free, being met with a scoff, “That’ll be a long engagement”, from his father. The play’s final tableau is a scene which many writers would shy away from on stage or screen but not only does McDonagh embrace the gruesome scenery, he plays it masterfully for laughs.

Turner’s performance is the focal point of the play, Mad Padraic certainly lives up to his name but that is not to say he is played as some psychotic madman. Instead, Turner plays him with a kind of unstable innocence. He seems genuinely concerned for the drug dealer he tortures, advising him on how to take care of his injuries. This imbues his character with a level of sympathy which means we view him as an anti-hero of sorts. This innocence is exemplified by one of the final scenes where Padraic pets his dead cat with a kindness and tenderness he shows to no human character in the play. As well as this, Turner’s superb comedic timing is evident throughout the play. His performance is excellent and shows a side to the actor not seen week to week on the BBC.

The other cast members are equally endearing. The Young Offenders’ Chris Walley as Davey, the young man who is accused of running over Wee Thomas and is roped into this madness is sympathetic and hilarious. His increasing disbelief at the course of events, alongside his protestations of innocence provides some of the funniest moments of the play. Denis Conway as Padraic’s dad is just as hilarious, though more subdued, as Davey. The interactions between these two provide some comedic gems and is tonally different enough from Padraic to keep the humour interesting. Charlie Murphy as Davey’s young sister who has a romantic view of the conflict and idolises Padraic for his part in it is also very fun. The remainder of the cast, Brian Martin, Daryl McCormack, Julian Moore-Cook and Will Irvine are all excellent even if they don’t get as much stage time as other characters.

Since the original 2001 staging of this play, Martin Mcdonagh has become a darling of Hollywood through films like In Bruges and the more recent Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri, and the public has become very familiar with the themes he typically explores. Throughout the script Mcdonagh confronts ideas around blind fanaticism, the ethics of vengeance and the ridiculousness of some aspects of the conflict in Ireland. In 2001 when the peace process was still fresh this play had a biting edge and dealt with issues many would struggle to laugh at. In the same year, the National Theatre refused to stage the production as they did not want to “endanger the peace process”. In 2018, it is perhaps easier to laugh at the play but it still retains much of its sharp edge given ongoing deep divisions in Ireland and the nearly ironically prophetic quality the story displays in relation to the fate of paramilitary groups in Ireland. This is not to say the play has lost the air of discomfort, some jokes still earned an uncomfortable silence from the London audience but this is part of the appeal of the play, an audience member’s own experience with the conflict and issues raised will mean they derive different things from the play’s humour.

The staging and effects are also to be praised, blood paints the walls of the idealistic Irish cottage crafted by Christopher Oram, as the stage for much of this madness. The effects are realistic and film-worthy, grounding the story with a sense of realism which only heightens the humour. Michael Grandage has crafted a delightfully dark production which uses every aspect of an excellent cast, brilliant staging and a great script to create an experience all its own.

As a whole the play is the blackest, most out-there story I have seen from a writer known for his dark and violent comedies. The play is certainly not for everyone but if any of McDonagh’s previous work appeals to you then this should be right up your alley. The characters and humour will stay with you after the final curtain and the endearing characters McDonagh populates his world with draw a surprising level of sympathy with the image of Padraic hugging his late friend being particularly effective. This is a top class revival of an excellent play with a brilliant class that is stunningly funny while being gasp-inducingly shocking at the same time, the words "brutally-funny" have never been more applicable. With tickets as cheap as £10 and not a bad seat in the house I cannot recommend this play enough.

5/5 Stars

The Lieutenant of Inishmore is currently being staged at the Noel Coward Theatre in London and runs until September 8th 2018.

By Sean Hughes