The Lieutenant of Inishmore, continues performances through Aug. 8. Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles; 213.628.2772 or centertheatregroup.com.
If it were a movie, no one would bat an eye. The distance created by the silver screen between audience and action mitigates the reaction. But onstage, with no buffer between audience and action, the violence is palpable.
Director Wilson Milam
There is no miming; nothing is left to the imagination as blood squirts from all ends of the stage. Along with the gore of blood-soaked stage the play is also doused in humor and farce, which makes The Lieutenant of Inishmore not only a quintessentially Irish piece but also a truly theatrical experience.
As Center Theatre Group’s Artistic Director Michael Ritchie puts it, “The whole evening is one of the most insane experiences I ever had in theatre.” Pure insanity mixed with laughs, death, shock and Irish accents offers LA audiences a rare taste of theatre.
Set in Inishmore, the largest of the picturesque Aran Islands, extreme terrorist Padriac heads home when he hears news of his cat and “only friend in the world” Wee Thomas’ poor health. When he arrives to a murdered Wee Thomas, he sets out on a blood soaked path of revenge. This revenge twists and turns as more is revealed in the small cottage on the isle of Inishmore.
Lieutenant is by Academy Award-winning, Olivier Award-winning and Tony Award nominated writer Martin McDonagh, famous for his taste in dark comedy, especially in his 2008 film In Bruges. McDonagh takes this same flair for the dark and ridiculous and puts it onstage, watching as the play swings on a pendulum between horrifying and hilarious.
Wilson Milam directed both the Broadway and West End premiers of Lieutenant and fell in love with McDonagh’s script from the first time he read it. “Martin crafted this play so that every single thing said means something to the story,” he says. “He doesn’t waste words, everything builds upon what is said.”
Milam is hesitant to discuss Lieutenant in detail because the show relies heavily on elements of surprise and suspense. “The first act builds the second act, laying everything out so after intermission the action accelerates to an intense unexpected climax.”
In order to create this gruesome climax, Milam worked very carefully with the cast and set (designed by Laura Fine Hawkes) to create both characters and an environment that moved the audience through the story. “The cast is, in one word, lovely,” says Milam. Having worked with many other actors on this particular show, he says CTG’s cast is thoughtful, fun and brilliant.
Chris Pine
With superstars like Chris Pine (Padriac) and young talented newcomers like Coby Getzug and Zoe Perry, the cast is a grab bag of actors whose individual, deadpan commitment to the reality of their world makes the audience laugh and cringe as the feline-friendly characters fight for their beliefs, and their lives. “The comedy, the joy of this show comes from each character deeply and truly believing what they are saying,” says Milam. “This is what makes the show so incredibly ridiculous and very funny.”
Although the life the actors bring to the stage is important, the set of Lieutenant was the most crucial and difficult character to create. The set not only exhaled the sinister mood into the house but also facilitated the violent action of the characters. Milam worked closely with Special Effects Designer Waldo Warshaw to create a set that would produce fluid and realistic effects similar to film. A self-proclaimed film enthusiast, Milam used this inspiration to create the stage picture. “I guess with whatever you are working on, picture and image are important but with this play, this time around, we wanted to be sure to make it look as real as possible. Like how do we use the curtains, the cat bed, the cat, the table, to make what we are doing more authentic in front of a live audience.”
Although the behind the scenes work on this play is detailed and well thought out, the performances are cohesive and entertaining so the best part of the show is simply watching others watch it. From the eighth row of the Mark Taper, I was surrounded by giggles, uncomfortable groans, belly laughs, open mouths and even people getting up to leave. The audience was truly engaged, witnessing right before their eyes the hilarious, grotesque happenings they are only accustomed to seeing on a widescreen.
Yes, the movies might be a more “comfortable” place for this piece. Yes, the stage produced shock and gore. But it also produced life, and a tangible, bizarre comedy that is a basic, forgotten form of theatre.
Theatre that makes you say, “Wow, that really happened. I may have closed my eyes once or twice but I was there and a part of it all.”
Feature image of Chris Pine and Zoe Perry by Craig Schwartz
Article by Greta McAnany
