Reader Reviews
The Quare Fellow (Tricycle Theatre, Inner London)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | Though it is great to see 17 very good actors on the Tricycle stage in a well-directed and well-designed production, I just don't think this play is worth it. If the man hadn't had a famous 'other life', would this play really have lasted ? I doubt it. We're seeing this play in 2005 because of the notoriety of it's author NOT because the play has become a classic worthy of revival. - 81.134.71.192) | 26 Jun 05 |
| I have seen this play three times,twice in Liverpool and once in York and I think it is brilliant. It is a excellent story that brings together humour and sadness altogether. All the cast are extremely strong and Kieran Cunningham as Donnely is fantastic. All I can say is go and see it! Laura- liverpoool - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.252.192.10) | 25 Apr 04 |
| I attended this on the Whatsonstage outing night and thought it was a fantastic piece. Compelling, rich, deceptively simple, even handed and generous. I hope we'll get more Behan plays as a result. The cast was marvellous all the performances so detailed so that if they were playing 2 roles often you wouldn't notice it was the same person... Great stuff. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (82.69.37.108) | 22 Apr 04 |
| I saw this play at the Tricycle last night (21 March). I agree with the earlier review that the acting was stilted. I thought the actors relied too much on the knockabout stuff and that the underlying rage of the play was lost. This production didn't challenge the audience enough. There's ample opportunity for a director as skilled as Kathy Burke to amplify Behan's anger at the way that working people are brutalised and to give the play some modern relavance. I also agree that the characterisation of the gay prisoner was woeful. In Borstal Boy, Behan was very sypathetic towards desperate prisoners who were caught for "ring" (a biography alleged that Behan himself was bisexual). This angle could have been played more subtly and might have added impact. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (212.137.57.25) | 22 Apr 04 |
| I saw this on Tuesday, April 20th, as part of the whatsonstage.com outing. What a brilliant evening it was. I thoroughly enjoyed the play. It was funny and moving. The Q+A afterwards was fascinating. I only wish Kathy Burke had joined the discussion as I would have loved to have heard her talk about the play. It was also my first trip to the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn. I thought it was a lovely venue. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (158.152.89.186) | 21 Apr 04 |
| An excellent production - why on earth has this great play been so neglected for twenty years? Let's hope that some enterprising company, encouraged by the OSC's success, decides to do "The Hostage". - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.92.168.178) | 20 Apr 04 |
| I found THE QUARE FELLOW a much easier play to sit through than I expected it to be. No doubt this was due to the direction of the exceptional cast Kathy Burke had assembled to bring Behans thought provoking drama to life. I guess from an actors point of view to get a script with the flow of text that Behan has given is as rich to convey as it is from an audience side to receive. The play works magnificently and West End producers would be well served to get along to The Tricylce to ensure this play and it's cast can be found a new home - that's if they can get in as the run is all but sold out! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (212.44.42.82) | 20 Apr 04 |
