Daniel Radcliffe will always be young Harry Potter to millions of fans. But I am here to report that the little boy has grown up, both as a man and as an actor. Now starring in his third Broadway show (following Equus and How to Succeed...), Radcliffe portrays Billy, the title character of Martin McDonagh's wonderful play, The Cripple of Inishmaan. The role is arduous, mentally as well as physically. Unlike, say, in The Elephant Man, the main character really appears to be crippled. Radcliffe shuffles with one leg extended while one useless arm is pressed against his chest. Although his body is bent, he is the “straight” man with most of the plot revolving around him.
The action of the story springs from a true event when in 1934 film director Robert J. Flaherty came to the neighboring Island of Inishmore to make a documentary, “The Man of Aran.” Billy sees the event as his way off the island and schemes to get Babbybobby (Padraic Delaney) to take him in his boat. Billy’s been the object of pity and scorn ever since his birth. There’s a mystery surrounding his parents’ death; they drowned in a boat with a bag of stones, and some say they killed themselves rather than live with Crippled Billy.
Although there is an abundance of dark humor here, this is one of McDonagh’s lighter plays (A Behanding in Spokane, The Pillowman). The darkness of the script combines with the humor. The audience laughs throughout but sometimes is almost embarrassed about it. Billy’s Aunt Kate shows her distress when he leaves by speaking aloud to stones. There’s no politically correct behavior in Inishmaan. Characters who care about each other are cruel. When Billy sneaks off to try to get an audition for the movie, his aunt Eileen wishes that his boat will sink before he gets there.
Some of the humor comes from the unexpected or contradictions. Sarah Green plays the beautiful but violent Helen whose penchant for throwing eggs, even at the eggman, contrasts with her beauty. Even grown large men fear her wrath.
Johnnypateenmike (Pat Shortt) is like an Irish towncrier or Liz Smith. He calls himself a newsman and delivers the news orally, with great fanfare and expects payment for it; Billy’s aunt pays him in eggs and canned peas. The enmity between Johnnypateenmike and his elderly mother is scarily humorous. They curse and yell at each other , and she’s as vitriolic as he is. She’s mentally sharp and well aware of what he’s doing as she heaps her own verbal abuse on him.
McDonagh uses so much repetition that it takes the American viewer little time at all to get used to the Irish dialect. There are reversals of characters and, during the last few moments of the play, plot twists unravel faster and faster, leading up to a bittersweet ending.
Skillfully directed by award-winning director Michael Grandage, The Cripple of Inishmaan is easily one of the most exciting revivals this season.
