If you are looking for an Irish drama to set the tone for your St. Patrick’s Day, Shawnee Playhouse’s production of Brian Friel’s “Dancing at Lughnasa” (playing March 8-17th), will fill that bill.
It has moments of light-heartedness in a dark time. This is not a happy, feel-good play, but it is a lovely tale, a tale being told through the emotional portrayals of a strong cast. It will make you think and feel for the sisters, Michael, Father Jack, and even for Gerry. It will make you reflect upon your own life, and how everything changes. And it will make you think about a time when you found pleasure building a kite, having a picnic or just listening and dancing to “Marconi.”A quaint kitchen in rural Ireland is where we are welcomed to sit back and watch as the Mundy sisters’ lives unravel as easily as a pair of knitted gloves with a slipped stitch. Shawnee Playhouse has taken on a very difficult play. Friel tells the tale of a family of sisters who can only watch helplessly as the life they have always known irrevocably changes the summer of 1936. What brings this script to life are the emotional depths that Aaron Pappalardo as Michael, Sara Ferguson as Christina, Elizabeth McDonals as Maggie, Gillian Geraghty as Agnes, Sarah McCarroll as Rose, Katherine Neville as Kate and Scott McIntosh as Jack, are able to plumb.The story is narrated by an adult Michael, played very assuredly, as he reflects back upon that summer and how it changed his life and the lives of his family forever. It is the summer of his seventh year, and he is in scenes, invisibly, with his mother and aunts. He brings the scenes to life without trying to be childlike, but by being able to speak as an adult and bring a solemness and maturity to the child. The oldest of the sisters, Kate, is played beautifully and manages to bring humor to the role when humor does not obviously come naturally to the character. Maggie is cleverly played and is the humor and wit of the family. You can feel the anticipation and anxiety as Christina, played brilliantly, awaits a visit from Gerry, the affable rogue who fathered Michael then left her. Gerry is played so good-naturedly that you can see why Christina fell in love with him. You just can’t help but be drawn to his energy. Christina isn’t the only Mundy sister to fall for Gerry’s charms, Agnes, played very emotionally, can not hide her love for Gerry, but it is an unrequieted love, and as she does throughout this tale, she yields to her sister’s happiness above her own. Rose, the “simple” sister, is played simply and effectively, and is able to make you feel for her poor damaged soul. Father Jack, the final burden for this family of sisters, the older brother who has returned home to die after a 25 year stint as a missionary, does a very believable job of just being lost to most of what goes on around him. The stage is simple, but I wish that some of the scenes were not missed due to the beams, used to represent the room, blocking the actors. It made it a little tricky to stay engaged when you had to keep moving your head to see what was going on upon the stage. The seating in this charming playhouse is also a little challenging. Everyone is on the same level which means, if you have the option, reserve your seats down front.Performances are at 2:00 pm March 15 and 17 and at 8:00 pm March 15 and 16. Ticket Prices are $18 Adults and $15 for Seniors over 55, AAA Members and Military. Ticket prices do not reflect ticketing fees.