In the world of theater, the name Dion Boucicault may not immediately ring a bell for many, but this 19th-century playwright is about to make a comeback, thanks to the innovative vision of Druid Theatre Company.
Boucicault, once a master of melodrama, has been largely forgotten, overshadowed by the rise of psychological drama and realism. His works, with their larger-than-life characters and intricate plots, fell out of favor, and his reputation suffered a steep decline after his death.
However, Druid's artistic director, Garry Hynes, dares to challenge this perception. She argues that Boucicault's influence runs deep in the roots of modern Irish theater, and she's set out to prove it with a bold new season titled "Strange Country: Ireland in the United States."
The centerpiece of this season is a double bill featuring Boucicault's "The Shaughraun" and Eugene O'Neill's "A Moon for the Misbegotten." By pairing these seemingly disparate plays, Hynes aims to showcase the enduring impact of Boucicault's work and its resonance with later generations of Irish playwrights.
"The Shaughraun" is a melodrama set in the west of Ireland, addressing the diaspora displaced by the Famine. It's a play that, in Hynes's words, "unfolds on Ireland's Atlantic edge, looking west towards the United States." On the other hand, "A Moon for the Misbegotten" is a play by O'Neill, the son of Irish immigrants, set in a lonely Connecticut farm, capturing the essence of the diaspora from within.
What's fascinating is the dialogue between these two plays, despite their stylistic differences. Hynes notes that elements of melodrama persist in O'Neill's work, creating a unique conversation between the two.
The visual language of the productions further enhances this dialogue. Francis O'Connor, the designer, has conceived a single set for both plays, dominated by a 19th-century Ordnance Survey map of Ireland. This map not only links the settings of the plays but also carries a deeper meaning, serving as a metaphor for colonial administration and cultural conquest.
"When we arrived at the map notion, it just felt right for both plays," O'Connor explains. "The Shaughraun unfolds on Ireland's Atlantic edge, looking west towards the United States; A Moon for the Misbegotten is set on a lonely Connecticut farm; it's meant to feel like the edge of the world."
This map, a potent symbol, adds a surreal and sorrowful dimension to the plays, especially as the hero of "The Shaughraun" struggles to navigate his surroundings.
The cast, including Aaron Monaghan, Eileen Walsh, and Rory Nolan, has approached these plays with a serious and respectful tone. They've resisted the temptation to treat Boucicault's work as camp or ironic, instead embracing the emotional reality beneath the melodrama.
Monaghan, who plays Conn, the Shaughraun, believes that modern audiences, conditioned by film and television, may initially find the heightened emotions of the play "twee." However, he argues that leaning into these emotions and truly meaning them evokes an authentic emotional response from both actors and audiences.
"I think the audience feels it too. You can't be embarrassed about it," he says.
Monaghan's interpretation of Boucicault's work goes beyond the surface. He believes that the playwright's politics are more complex than they appear, with the heroes of the piece being the peasants, not the typical, stereotypical Irish heroes.
"They're the smartest people on the stage. They're always three steps ahead of everyone else," Monaghan explains.
This reassessment of Boucicault's work has led Monaghan to conclude that the playwright is, in his words, "kind of a genius."
Rory Nolan, who plays the villain Corry Kinchela, shares a similar perspective. He believes that Boucicault's influence can be traced through almost every major Irish playwright who followed.
"Whether they wanted him to be or not, they were all keenly aware of his work. To my ear, he echoes down through Irish theater. He echoes down through the ages," Nolan says.
With this bold and innovative season, Druid Theatre Company invites audiences to reconsider Boucicault, his legacy, and his enduring impact on Irish theater. It's a chance to explore the depths of his work and discover the genius that lies beneath the surface.
