Reader Reviews
The Home Place (The Gate Theatre, Dublin)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | Given how wonderful such earlier plays as "Dancing At Lughnasa", "Faith Healer" and "Translations" are, this most recent Brian Friel is a major disappointment. It comes across almost like a parody of some of his earlier works, a sub-Chekhovian look at a mildly interesting period in Irish history. The nasty, clinical way the doctor treats the local poor (uneasily foreshadowing the experiments of Hitler's concentration camps) should provoke outrage but, in Adrian Noble's sluggish, unevenly acted production, merely brings on ennui. On the upside, Derbhle Crotty's much loved yet tormented housekeeper is a gem of a performance and there's a lovely cameo from Harry Towb as her drunk father. Tom Courtenay's weird delivery and physicality is unlikely to win him any new fans, and best not to draw attention to some of the appalling acting going on elsewhere. Nick Dunning's unpleasant English doctor and Sean Murray as his cockney sidekick, although they seem to have wandered in from a different play. The set, lighting and costumes are beautiful but this winds up as a very unsatisfying evening in the theatre. - 195.82.123.181) | 11 Aug 05 |
| A very interesting play in which Friel works with the stereotypical chararcters of 19th century Irish literature to express some heartfelt truths about belonging and the sense of belonging. Wonderfully acted. - 142.35.4.130) | 10 Aug 05 |
| This play is irritating and pointless. It's the theatrical equivalent of Robert Mugabe blaming all his countries problems on it's colonial past. Brian Friel should write something relevant in the 21st century rather than a whinge about events of 125 years ago dressed up as whistful Irish Checkov. It would be nice to say that the performaces are a compensation, but they are all stereotypes and the usually wonderful Tom Courtney is the worst of them all. How on earth did this get a transfer to the West End ? - the producers must have been drunk. Avoid like the plague. - 81.134.200.235) | 14 Jun 05 |
| Friel's new one left my dissappointed and slightly bemused. Disappointed because I expected so much more than a lazy afternoon in the Irish country circa 1880, and bemused by Tom Courtenay's performance. There's a story here somewhere, but it dare not show its face. As such very little seems to happen, and it's all about the backstory and subplot, underneath the surface, which leaves the main action on stage rather dull and meandering. Dearbhla Crotty and Nick Dunning gives exceptional performances, but the supporting cast are peppered with stereotypes (I couldn't quite believe it when little "Tommy Doyle" entered in his bare feet and rags spouting 'begorrah and bejaysus' for good measure). But the evening was dominated by the remarkably eccentric show from Courtenay - I wanted to like him but it was so mannered in delivery and action that at times I thought he had some kind of affliction. Very bizarre. - 194.106.62.126) | 10 Jun 05 |
