The Playboy of the Western World

Synopsis

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. The Playboy of the Western World was first performed in January 1907 at Dublin's Abbey Theatre.

Our Review:

13 May 2009

The Playboy of the Western World caused riots at its premiere, the Dublin audience not taking kindly to the story of a man acclaimed a hero for killing his father and objecting particularly strongly to the references to women’s undergarments.

Times change: but there’s still something deeply unsettling about this play. Synge depicts a people bored beyond belief, looking for any outlet for entertainment. The notion of a parricide being idolised might seem strange to us but we don’t have to farm land in harsh conditions, grateful for any distraction.

Garry Hynes’ fine production captures perfectly the harsh realities of this existence. [Francis O’Connor]’s bleak pub interior with its tiny windows looks more like a spacious prison cell than a hostelry and there’s little creature comfort, this is a place to drink oneself to oblivion, miles away from t...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

No reviews yet

Click here to add your review