Beauty Queen of Leenane

Although this play is well written with some witty dialogue I found it quite disturbing and in bad taste in parts. This serious play had the ability to make you laugh at people who were about to do ugly things to other people, to such an extent that I will never be able to see this drama again and laugh at the same parts.

The acting is superb by all, particularly Anna Manahan who plays Mag Folan. She was brilliant and very very convincing. Jane Brennan who plays Maureen was also convincing as the mentally tortured daughter and Lloyd Hutchinson fitted the part well as Pato Dooley, Maureen’s boyfriend. However, Tom Murphy, who plays Ray Dooley the brother of Pato, had a irritating accent which at times was a distraction. But, nevertheless his character brought a lot of humour to the play.

As I said, I was uncomfortable throuout most of the play because of the way the writer made you laugh at characters that have or are about to do horrible things. It is a play I think you can only really want to watch once and I certainly will not be seeing it again.

(Darren Dalglish)