Deaths curiously make it possible for love to flourish ”Outside Mullingar” in rural Ireland. John Patrick Shanley’s poetric-prose play begins after Aoife Muldoon has buried her husband. She comes out of a dreary rain to the home of Tony Reilly whose friendship he lost. It was over the Muldoons owning an entry strip of land to Reilly’s property. Like Aoife, Tony’s feeling his age, but he’s considering willing his farm to a nephew due in from America to find a wife. She can’t get over why Tony’s not giving the farm to his only son Anthony, just as her Christy left his to Aoife’s daughter Rosemary. The mystery is traceable to a feud Tony and Christy had over the right-of-way between their farms. Tony once sold it to him but kept trying—unsuccessfully—to buy back. Both Aoife and Tony have loved and lost, but apparently Anthony and Rosemary have never found their loves. He was spurned once long ago and thinks he’s confined to life in the fields, alone. While supposedly bearing him a grudge from a childhood incident, Rosemary has rejected numerous village suitors. She just works her farm and smokes outside. So where will everyone end up living (or dying) and loving? Before he dies, Tony will make revelations to Anthony in an intimate, touching scene. Will he “know how to be happy” and learn from his father’s experience of love and what that led to? As for Rosemary, how and why does she change? Familiarity with Shanley’s best known scripts makes it certain he will propel the couple to a knock-down, knock-out type of confrontation from which will come a touching romantic lift. Although Outside Mullingar is quite slow to get going, it moves better as the action does. The set, in every way appropriate to simple Irish rural houses and fields separated by walls formed by stones taken off the land, nonetheless might benefit from a turntable and perhaps a side stage or front of curtain space for outdoor scenes. Costumes are just right. Rain falling from roofs and lighting to designate weather both mirror changes in mood. George Tynan Crowley gives Tony gruffness that makes his sentimental last scene a believable tear-jerker. As Aofie, Louise Flaningam screams unnecessarily and does so in stage Oirish, though she looks the part. Gil Brady couldn’t be better as the repressed Anthony who finally bursts self-created boundaries and displays real joy. No typical Irish hopeful lass turned spinster but a reasoning and determined woman, Rosemary is beautifully embodied by Claire Warden. She’s notable, in and out of the role. Kate Alexander as usual directs with understanding and assurance. Not only Shanley fans stand to be delighted with the results.
