The Playboy of the Western World

Synopsis

BAFTA nominee Robert Sheehan stars as Christy Mahon in The Old Vic's production of The Playboy of the Western World this autumn. Niamh Cusack and Ruth Negga also star in a production directed by John Crowley.

Set in a small village on the west coast of County Mayo, The Playboy of the Western World tells the story of lonely dreamer Christy Mahon who takes refuge in Michael Flaherty’s pub, claiming that he has killed his oppressive father. Christy beguiles the locals with his tall and dramatic tale of bravery in the face of danger and becomes an instant hero. He both charms the village women including Widow Quinn and captures the heart of the landlord’s fiery daughter Pegeen . However, when his tale turns out to be less straightforward than they first thought, the simmering violence of the villagers comes to light.

Robert Sheehan is best known as Nathan Young in the E4 comedy-drama Misfits, a role for which he was nominated for a BAFTA. His other credits include Cherrybomb and Season of the Witch with Nicholas Cage. 

Niamh Cusak most recently starred The Old Vic's acclaimed revival of  Cause Celebre. Her numerous television credits include Heartbeat, Fallen Angel and The Last Detective. 

Ruth Negga played Ophelia to Rory Kinnear's Hamlet at the National Theatre last year. In addition to numerous productions for the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, she starred in films such as Capital Letters, Isolation and Breakfast On Pluto.

Whatsonstage.com have some great The Playboy of the Western World Old Vic tickets so follow the buy ticket links for some great availability and prices.

Our Review:

Michael Coveney - 28 September 2011

There is no way to understand how JM Synge’s 1907 classic comedy caused a riot at its first performance. The “playboy” Christy Mahon, so brave that he’s killed his own father, or at least “laid him low with a loy” says that he’ll stand by his resolution to marry only the girl of his dreams, Pegeen Mike.

Nothing will divert him, not even “a drift of Mayo girls standing in their shifts itself.” The first audience broke up in disorder at this supposed insult to Irish womanhood, but you’d hardly raise an eyebrow with the phrase now, and Robert Sheehan’s surprisingly tall and energetic Christy uses it merely to inflate his own idea of himself.

It’s a lovely play, and John Crowley’s Old Vic production doesn’t try for anything fancy with it. In truth, it’s a bit flat in parts, but Sheehan, while he doesn’t have the overlarding comic charm of Cillian Murphy in the role (the...

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Latest User Review

Jin - 15 November 2011:

Nothing new or intersting for this revival, and the actors seemed more concerned with the accent than the language. Just wasn't enough on stage to keep my focus. ...

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