On a quiet autumn evening, the inhabitants of Flaherty's ramshackle pub are interrupted by the arrival of Christy Mahon, a fugitive claiming to have murdered his father. Enamoured by his story, the whole village soon find themselves toasting Christy as a hero, whilst Flaherty's daughter Pegeen falls in love with his roguish charm. However, an unexpected arrival from Christy's past threatens to collapse his newfound fame. J.M. Synge's 'The Playboy of the Western World' (1907) is a hilarious three-act play that honours the Irish lyrical speech. A highly controversial play of its time, riots formed on the opening night of the play to protest what they saw as offensive content that mocked the Irish. As Synge's most popular play it has had numerous adaptations on stage and screen. The play is riveting, with central character Christy Mahon playing like a cross between 'Harry Potter's' Gilderoy Lockhart and Jim Carrey's Truman from 'The Truman Show'. For any fans of comedy, or for those who are looking to understand more about the beauty of the Irish dialect, 'The Playboy of the Western World' is a must read!
