The Lieutenant of Inishmore

The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Methuen cover
Written by	Martin McDonagh
Date premiered	2001
Place premiered	Other Place Theatre Stratford-upon-Avon
Original language	English
Genre	Comedy
Setting	1993 on the island of Inishmore, County Galway

The Lieutenant of Inishmore /lɛfˈtɛnənt ... ˈɪnɪʃˌmoʊr/ is a black comedy by Martin McDonagh, in which the 'mad' leader of an Irish National Liberation Army splinter group discovers that his cat has been killed. It has been produced twice in the West End and on Broadway, where it received a Tony Award nomination for Best Play. In 2014, The Lieutenant of Inishmore was ranked in The Daily Telegraph as one of the 15 greatest plays ever written.^[1]

Plot

In Ireland in 1993, the Northern Ireland peace process is taking its faltering first steps. Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) man Mad Padraic is pulling out the toenails of Belfast drug dealer James, when he hears that his beloved cat, Wee Thomas, is poorly. He heads back home to the island of Inishmore, where he learns that Wee Thomas is not sick but has been killed. Padraic, a man considered too mad for the Irish Republican Army and sorely trying the patience of his INLA comrades, is intent on revenge. He kills four people and two other cats before Wee Thomas is found alive and well; the first cat was mistaken for him.

Characters

• Padraic: (Age: 20 – 25. Lead)
• Davey: (Age: 17.^[2] Lead)
• Donny: (Age: 45 – 50. Lead)
• Mairead: (Age: 16.^[2] Lead)
• Christy: (Age: 30 – 50. Supporting)
• Brendan: (Age: 18 – 25. Supporting)
• Joey/James: (Age: 18 – 25. Supporting)

Certain productions might choose to double Joey and James, or have them played by two different performers. There is no official suggestion from McDonagh in the script.

Production history

Original RSC/West End production

The Lieutenant of Inishmore was first produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2001. The production was directed by Wilson Milam.^[3] In 2002, the production transferred to the Barbican, and then to the Garrick Theatre,^[4] before touring the UK and eventually Ireland.^[5]

Original off-Broadway/Broadway production

A new production opened off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theater Company on 27 February 2006. The production received Lucille Lortel Awards, including Outstanding Play and Outstanding Lead Actor (David Wilmot, tie)^[6] with an Obie Award for Martin McDonagh.^[7][8] The play transferred to the Lyceum Theatre, on Broadway where it ran from 3 May to 3 September 2006. The opening night cast included Jeff Binder, Andrew Connolly, Dashiell Eaves, Peter Gerety, Domhnall Gleeson, Brian d'Arcy James, Alison Pill, and David Wilmot. It was directed by Wilson Milam, who directed the original RSC/West End production.^[9]

Subsequent North American productions

The Lieutenant of Inishmore has also been produced:

• Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 12 July to 4 August 2007.
• GableStage, in Coral Gables, Florida, from 11 August to 9 September 2007
• Fusion Theatre Company in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from 25 October to 18 November 2007
• the Alley Theatre, in the Houston Theater District, from 25 January to 24 February 2008^[10]
• Curious Theatre Company in Denver, Colorado from 8 March to 19 April 2008
• San Jose State University's Hal Todd Theatre, from 25 April to 3 May 2008
• The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis from 17 September to 13 October 2008,^[11] where it was nominated for five Kevin Kline Awards, of which it took home one.
• The New Repertory Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts, from 26 October to 6 November 2008
• Jobsite Theater in Tampa, Florida in April 2009^[12]
• Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Berkeley, California from 17 April to 24 May 2009 under the direction of Les Waters^[13]
• Northlight Theatre in Skokie, Illinois, from 29 April 2009 to 7 June 2009, directed by B.J. Jones.^[14] This production featured special effects and props designed by Steve Tolin, for which he won the 2009 Jeff Award for Outstanding Achievement in Special Effects.
• Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles from 11 July – 8 August 2010.^[2] The cast included Chris Pine as Padraic.
• A Contemporary Theater, in Seattle, in October 2010. ^{[citation needed]}
• the San Jose Stage Company, San Jose, California, from 26 September to 21 October 2018.^[15]

South America

The Lieutenant of Inishmore was first produced in Lima, Peru at Teatro La Plaza ISIL, running from 24 April to 1 July 2008.

Australia

An Australian production ran from 30 September to 18 October 2008, at the Sue Benner Theatre, Metro Arts in Brisbane, Queensland. The New Theatre at Newtown in Sydney presented the play from 24 April 2018 to 26 May 2018.^[16]

Ukraine

Adapted ukrainian version (under the name "Kytsyunya") ran in 2019 in Kyiv, presented by "Wild Theatre".^[17]

West End revival 2018

The Lieutenant of Inishmore was revived from June – September 2018 at the Noël Coward Theatre. The production is directed by Michael Grandage and stars Aidan Turner as Padraic.^[18]

Reception

Upon release, The Lieutenant of Inishmore was generally well-received among British press. The Guardian gave the play an average rating of 8 out of 10 based on reviews from multiple British newspapers. ^[19]

Awards and nominations

• 2006 Alfréd Radok Award for Best Play
• 2006 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play (win)^[6]
• 2006 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – David Wilmot (win)^[6]
• 2006 Obie Award for Playwriting – Martin McDonagh (win)
• 2006 Tony Award^[20] Best Actor in a Play (Wilmot) (nomination)
• 2006 Tony Award Best Direction of a Play (nomination)
• 2006 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play (Gleeson) (nomination)
• 2006 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Play (Allison Pill) (nomination)
• 2006 Tony Award Play (nomination)
• 2009 Jeff Award for Outstanding Achievements in Special Effects – Steve Tolin
• 2009 San Francisco Bay Area Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor – Adam Farabee
• 2009 San Francisco Bay Area Critics Circle Award for Fight Director – Dave Maier
• 2009 San Francisco Bay Area Critics Circle Award for Best Ensemble
• 2010 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Lead Performance – Chris Pine^[21]

2018 West End revival

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result
2018	Critics’ Circle Theatre Award[22]	Most Promising Newcomer	Chris Walley	Won
	Evening Standard Theatre Award[23]	Emerging Talent		Nominated
2019	Laurence Olivier Award[24]	Best Actor in a Supporting Role		Won

References

1. "Best plays of all time". The Daily Telegraph. 28 April 2014. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
2. Reiner, Jay (13 July 2010). "'The Lieutenant of Inishmore' a gruesome pleasure". Reuters. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
3. Cavendish, Dominic. "Animal instincts" The Telegraph, 14 May 2001
4. Spencer, Charles. Devastating Masterpiece of Black Comedy" The Telegraph, 28 June 2002
5. [1] shakespeare.org.uk
6. " The Trip to Bountiful Tops 2006 Lucille Lortel Awards" broadway.com, 2 May 2006
7. Jones, Kenneth. "Bloody Fun: McDonagh's Lieutenant of Inishmore Opens Feb. 27 in U.S. Premiere" Playbill, 27 February 2006
8. "2006 Nominations by Category" lortelaward.com, accessed 13 August 2019
9. Jones, Kenneth. "McDonagh's Bloody Comedy, Lieutenant of Inishmore, Opens on Broadway" Playbill, 3 May 2006
10. Hetrick, Adam. "The Lieutenant of Inishmore Begins Alley Run Jan. 25" Playbill, 25 January 2008
11. Hetrick, Adam. " The Lieutenant of Inishmore Opens in St. Louis Sept. 19" Playbill, 19 September 2008
12. Fuge, Tristan. "Jobsite Theater Announces The Lieutenant of Inishmore Cast and Creative Team" theatermania.com, 28 January 2009
13. Bacalzo, Dan. "Berkeley Rep Announces Cast for Lieutenant of Inishmore " theatermania.com, 4 March 2009
14. The Lieutenant Of Inishmore theatreinchicago.com, accessed 13 August 2019
15. Hurwitt, Sam. "Martin McDonagh’s bloody hilarious Lieutenant of Inishmore comes to San Jose Stage" Mercury News, 2 October 2018
16. The Lieutenant of Inishmore artsreview.com.au, 26 April 2018
17. Kytsyunya poster wild-t.com.ua
18. The Lieutenant of Inishmore michaelgrandagecompany.com
19. "Review". The Guardian. 26 May 2001. p. 410. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
20. The Lieutenant of Inishmore Playbill, accessed 13 August 2019
21. [2] ladramacriticscircle
22. "2018 Results | Critics' Circle Theatre Awards". 29 January 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
23. "Read the Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2018 shortlist in full". www.standard.co.uk. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
24. "Winners list for the Olivier Awards 2019 with Mastercard | Official Website". Olivier Awards. Retrieved 6 December 2020.

Further reading

• McDonagh, Martin (2001). The Lieutenant of Inishmore. London: Methuen. ISBN 0-413-76500-8.

External links

• ​The Lieutenant of Inishmore​ (list of productions) at the Internet Broadway Database
• ​The Lieutenant of Inishmore​ (2006 production) at the Internet Broadway Database
• ​The Lieutenant of Inishmore​ at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Review of British production
• Site for the Signature Theatre production
• "Buckets of Blood Means It's Curtains" Washington Post
• "'The Lieutenant of Inishmore': Blood and Glee in Rural Ireland" New York Times Broadway Review