‘Outside Mullingar’ an Irish pot of gold

EMERALD ISLE GEM: Brian F. O’Byrne & Debra Messing in ‘Outside Mullingar.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

OUTSIDE MULLINGAR
Written by John Patrick Shanley
Directed by Doug Hughes
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
261 West 47th Street
(212-239-6200), www.ManahattanTheatreClub.com

By David NouNou

You know the old saying, “The two things you can be certain of in life are death and taxes”? Well, the two things you can be sure of in any Irish themed-play are talks about deaths and wakes, but seldom are they told as humorously, charmingly and tenderly as in John Patrick Shanley’s new play, Outside Mullingar. However, this is not the main focus of the show; it is just the framework of this lovely and delicately written play.

Anthony Reilly (Brian F. O’Byrne) and his father Tony Reilly (Peter Maloney) have just returned home after attending the Muldoon wake. Muldoon is survived by his wife Aoife (Dearbhla Molloy) and his daughter Rosemary (Debra Messing). The Reillys and Muldoons also happen to be across-the-road neighbors, so there is a bond between the families. Tony is old and realizes his mortality, so his big dilemma is whether he should leave his land to his shy and introverted son Anthony or sell it to an American cousin. In order to be able to sell said property, there is a piece of the driveway that has been sold to the Muldoons 30 years earlier when Tony needed money to buy a ring for his now-deceased wife. Papa Muldoon gave this piece of land to Rosemary as a present when she was a little girl. Naturally, Rosemary refuses to sell this piece for her own personal reasons. So starts this wonderful little tale of Blarney.

Mr. Shanley knows how to write delectable parts for actors who start out as introverted caterpillars and then bloom into beautiful butterflies. Who could ever forget his Oscar-winning screenplay for Moonstruck? Instead of the metropolis of Brooklyn and Italians, he mixes it up with farmland Mullingar and the Irish. It may not be as mesmerizing as Moonstruck, but it still hits the right chords to make us care, for his characters, all of whom are imbued with humanity and humor.

Mr. O’Byrne is an incredible stage actor and also one of the finest. He is also blessed with stage presence and charisma. Broadway audiences first saw him in Martin McDonough’s The Beauty Queen of Leanane, followed by countless plays: Tom Stoppard’s epic The Coast of Utopia, his Tony- winning role in Frozen, and Mr. Shanley’s earlier, brilliant Doubt (one of the best plays ever written). Mr. O’Byrne has always delivered a new character to each of his new roles, and Anthony is no exception. One can’t help but want to protect and cheer for this shy noble caterpillar who will ultimately find its wing and soar.

It is such a pleasure to report that Debra Messing is making an auspicious Broadway debut. She is still as beautiful as she was in the TV sitcom “Will & Grace” and thankfully has managed to shed her cloying, needy and selfish Grace persona. She is a delicious frumpy spitfire here, and manages to pull off a creditable Irish brogue.

Peter Maloney is a wonderful veteran stage character actor who first came on the Broadway scene in Hughie/Duet  with Ben Gazzara in1975. How gratifying to finally see him do an original part that hopefully gets him some recognition come Tony season. His cantankerous Tony is full of humor, anxiety and thorniness. His scenes with the equally delightful Ms. Molloy are a joy as they volley their barbs against each other.

Mr. Shanley has a wonderful director in Doug Hughes. They both won their Tonys for Doubt. They understand each other’s language and rhythms, thus they complement each other for the stage. Outside Mullingar may not be inspirational, but it will certainly put a smile on your face and give you a warm, fuzzy glow on these cold and snowy New York nights.

FAMILY FRIENDS: Debra Messing and Peter Maloney in ‘Outside Mullingar.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

Tony Nominated for Best Play of 2014

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published January 26, 2014
Reviewed at  press performance on January 25, 2014