I have enjoyed almost every production from NT Live that I have seen but, despite the best endeavours of a skilled cast, this performance of a classic drama was a turkey.
The fundamental problem is that this is a wordy play which, like so much of Irish literature, is celebrated for its language. Indeed, the lead character is beloved for being eloquent. But the actors adopted such thick Irish accents that I struggled to understand what they were saying. This was particularly true of Pegeen's father in the third act who was supposed to be drunk: the physical comedy of drunkenness was pitch perfect but most of what he was saying was incomprehensible. I was taught that if the audience can't heat a line, they will assume they have missed something crucial, even if it was only 'pass the marmalade'. I knew I was missing many of the jokes. It felt as if I was the outsider at a party, aware that something was going on but not sure what. It was awful.
The thesis - that a criminal can be idolised - resonates in these populist times. The mix of tragedy and farce was impressive. But what's the point when you can't access much of what the Telegraph calls Synge's "succulent poetry".
My companions liked it even less than I did.
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