Well-acted, but mean-spirited
Review by Lauren Emily Whalen
The Lonesome West is an earlier work from playwright Martin McDonagh, who's since made a name for himself in both theater and film, penning last year's Oscar winner Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. McDonagh's bailiwick is finding humor in the darkest of situations: in the case of The Lonesome West , two perpetually feuding Irish brothers with a tendency toward brutal violence. Perhaps the play has aged poorly since its 1997 premiere, or McDonagh has refined his style since. Either way, AstonRep's production of The Lonesome West is well-acted but too nasty and mean-spirited to have much of an
Set designer Jeremiah Barrdoes a literal bang-up job of recreating the home of two volatile orphaned Irish brothers, complete with a prominent crucifix over the fireplace, multiple religious icons and several holes in the walls, likely put there by fists. Half of the furniture, framed pictures and knickknacks - including the bright orange stove sitting in the middle of the fireplace, bear a giant V. Brother Valene (Dylan Todd) obsessively guards and catalogs his possessions, including his beloved collection of figurines, much to the chagrin of his sibling Coleman (Robert Tobin). Despite their father's recent death and the pleas of troubled parish priest Father Welsh ( Mark Tacderas) and comely neighbor Girleen (Phoebe Moore), Valene and Coleman fight over the smallest topics - and as they reveal their deepest secrets one drunken night, their sibling rivalry may never be resolved.
While McDonagh's premise is solid - because who doesn't love watching a squabbling, dysfunctional family? - both Valene and Coleman are so thoroughly oafish it's hard to find any note of humanity whatsoever. Forget likable, these two aren't even interesting. They play pranks on one another that are both childish and incredibly hurtful. Neither is particularly smart or articulate - even Valene's manipulative nature is rather dull. McDonagh and director Dana Andersonalso don't seem to comprehend the nature of escalation, as the brothers come to blows with almost no provocation. Sure, hair-trigger tempers exist, but most of the time it takes more than two words to set off even the most violent individual.
The Lonesome West also lacks much of an arc: McDonagh's script is just fight after fight after fight. After a while, it's like the playwright completely gives up on plot and the audience just waits for one brother to kill the other. The play's climax is both upsetting and disturbing, but the resolution (what there is of one) is almost nil. What's more, Anderson's direction and the production as a whole feel more like an excuse for two men to perform cool stage combat while speaking in Irish brogues.
It's possible McDonagh was still learning to write plays in 1997 - and which characters to prominently feature. Indeed, a scene between Girleen and Father Welsh is both human and heartbreaking, the best part of the play by far and beautifully acted by both Moore and Tacderas. It's too bad The Lonesome West didn't focus on these two, and put its feuding brothers as background buffoons, exactly where they belong.
The Lonesome West continues through November 18th at Raven Theatre West Stage, 6157 N. Clark (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays 3:30pm. Tickets are $25 (students & seniors: $15), and are available online through BrownPaperTickets.com (check for availability of ). More information at AstonRep.com. (Running time: 100 minutes without intermission)
Photos by Emily Schwartz
behind the scenes
Dana Anderson (director), Jeremiah Barr (scenic and props design, technical director), Cody Von Ruden (costume design), Samantha Barr (lighting design, production manager), Melanie Thompson (sound design), Claire Yearman (fight choreographer), Carrie Hardin (dialect coach), Lara Caprini (stage manager), Emily Schwartz (photos)
Tags: 18-1045, AstonRep Theatre, AstonRep Theatre Company, Carrie Hardin, Chicago Theater, Claire Yearman, Cody Von Ruden, Dana Anderson, Dylan Todd, Emily Schwartz, Jeremiah Barr, Lara Caprini, Lauren Emily Whalen, Mark Tacderas, Melanie Thompson, Phoebe Moore, post, Robert Tobin, Samantha Barr, Timothy Sullivan
Category: 2018 Reviews, AstonRep Theatre, Lauren Emily Whalen, Martin McDonagh, Raven Theatre West Stage
