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Theater review: ‘The Seafarer’
It was a dark and stormy night – acheter viagra; no, please read on, even though you’ve heard that phrase before – when a stranger comes to the door of a scruffy house in Baldoyle, a place on the north side of Dublin, Ireland.The house is inhabited by a pair of bachelor brothers who have invited some friends over for a bit of Christmas cheer – think immeasurable amounts of alcohol. The stranger only wants to join in a game of cards, but the stakes he has in mind are much higher in Irish playwright Conor McPherson’s brilliantly philosophical yet wonderfully comical play, “The Seafarer, ” brought to pulsing life by Speakeasy Stage Company.Unlike the rest of the ensemble – their names are Ric, Sharky, Ivan and Nicky – the elegantly dressed stranger is introduced only as Mr. Lockhart. Before Mr. Lockhart arrives, the playwright sets up the master-slave relationship between the autocratic Ric, who has been blinded in a Halloween night binge when he fell into a dumpster, and his brother, Sharky, who has returned to care for him. Sharky has also lost his job as a chauffeur and has nowhere else to go.Ivan, a friend, has been thrown out by his wife. Nicky, who is keeping company with Sharky’s ex, arrives later with Mr. Lockhart, whom he has met in a bar.The pervading theme is alcohol – beer and stout, gin and whiskey – consumed in huge gulps and furtive swallows, the chief object of everyone’s desire. Life is viewed through an alcoholic haze, so profound that the passing of time, the loss of opportunity, and the absence of hope have no meaning. The life-force has been exchanged for alcohol.The perfectly realized set of a run-down cottage is designed by J. Michael Griggs and lighted by John R. Malinowski, who has visualized the dark shadows and spiritual insights of McPherson’s mysterious play. It evokes stage images reaching back to the beginning of the 20th century, when Irish playwrights began dramatizing the poignant stories of the lives of the peasants. McPherson captures the grandeur of their language and the superstitious beliefs imbedded in these men while keeping the viewers at the edge of their seats by building suspense for the outcome of the card game.It seems that Mr. Lockhart is the devil, and he has come to wager for Sharky’s soul, a debt contracted 25 years earlier. This combination of legend, Catholic apocrypha, and faith, although seeped in alcohol, is a trademark of McPherson’s talent, along with his remarkable skill as a storyteller.Guest director Carmel O’Reilly, former director of Sugan Theatre Company, has struck gold in establishing the milieu and the message just right, aided by a consummate ensemble of actors: Bob Colonna as Ric, Billy Meleady as the melancholy Sharky, Larry Coen in a splendidly subtle performance as Ivan, Ciaran Crawford as Nicky, and Derry Woodhouse as the volatile Mr. Lockhart.At the end, God’s protective might has been tested and mankind, in the body of this loser, Sharky, has been forgiven once more and saved. It’s a consoling theme for the holiday season. Ms. O’Reilly’s production, enhanced by a marvelous group of character actors, is an early holiday gift.THE SEAFARER Written by Conor McPherson and directed by Carmel O’Reilly. Produced by Speakeasy Stage Company at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., Boston, through Dec. 13. Tickets, $30-$50, at 617-933-8600 or www.SpeakEasyStage.com.
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