Hordes of rioters stormed the streets of Dublin, Ireland when the original production of John Millington Synge's "Playboy of the Western World" made its debut nearly a century ago.
Students in the department of theatre and dance will present the Irish classic this weekend at the CFA Black Box Theatre - without the riots, hopefully.
When a handsome young man, Christie Mahon (played by Robert Petrarca, a senior musical theater major) arrives at a public house in the west of Ireland, the locals become enamored of his outrageous story of the murder he has committed. While bragging that he killed his very own father, he falls in love with a feisty woman named Pageen (played by Hilary Walker, a junior musical theater major).
Typically, assembling a show of such a foreign nature might have presented a difficulty because of its cultural rhythms. However, staging a production from Europe comes quite naturally for the Ireland native and chair of the department of theatre and dance Vincent O'Neill, who is directing the play. O'Neill is also executive director of Buffalo's Irish Classical Theatre Company.
"I grew up watching this play. It's an Irish classic," said O'Neill. "This is territory that I am very familiar with, although it is challenging for students."
While this production may be particularly demanding for the actors, following O'Neill's well qualified guidance aides the students in capturing the true essence of the western world in 1907.
"When the English came to Ireland, they drove the people to the west," said O'Neill. "They call it 'the land that God forgot.' You need to hold onto that spirit."
On the surface, Synge's characters are richly embedded in the tradition of the Catholic religion. Because some of the actors do not practice a religion or possess the same beliefs as their role, it was necessary to spend extra time researching the creed of their character.
"Religion is a really big part in this play. I'm not religious myself so I had to do a lot of research to understand my character," said Matthew Erickson, a senior musical theatre major who plays a hypocritical Catholic, Shawn Keogh. "It's a deep role that has a lot of layers."
Delving into research was not only critical for the students, but for the set designers as well. Endless hours were spent seeking the right items as well as constructing the "shebeen" - referred to in the United States as a "speakeasy" - set from scratch.
"At first it was really stressful but now it is turning into a lot of fun," said Charlie Carter, a senior theatre major who has a vital role as the scenic and lighting designer. "Painting, putting things on shelves, making an environment; but period dramas are all about research."
The cast has grown very close in the process of producing the play. The cast's vibrant and fun-loving chemistry that may tend to spill onto the closely situated audience is no mistake.
"Hilary, who plays Pageen, is just fantastic," said Petrarca. "We are really good friends so there is a lot to work with."
While the fight choreography and climatic scenes act as a strong aesthetic element, the use of dialect does as well, transporting the listeners to the rolling green pastures of old Ireland.
"I am very faithful to the playwright. Directors usually try to put a stamp on it but the best directors give credit to the playwright," said O'Neill.
"The theme is timeless," said to Erickson. "Because it is love and loss it can easily translate to these times."
"Playboy of the Western World" will be presented at the CFA Black Box Theatre through Sun., Nov. 16. Tickets can be purchased at the CFA Box Office or any Ticketmaster location.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
