The Milwaukee Repertory Theater has back-to-back hits in January/February, with Of Mice and Men playing on the main stage and The Beauty Queen of Leenane in the smaller, more intimate Stiemke Theater. The plays, though separated by more than 60 years, share marked similarities. Loneliness, isolation, desperation and love of the land weave the plays together, though the circumstances couldn't be further apart. Beauty Queen takes place in a small house in rural Ireland, where a mother and daughter lead a bleak existence, not much different from the drifters in Of Mice and Men. However, while the men share a dream, the mother-daughter pair have different dreams, and different fears. Mag, the mother (Rose Pickering), fears being shipped off to a nursing home, while her daughter, Maureen (Laura Gordon), fears she'll be burdened by an aging mum for the rest of her life.
Though isolated, their small village is a fish bowl, where grudges aren't easily forgotten. As one character says, "you can't kick a cow without someone holding a grudge for 20 years."
Characters refer constantly to the land's beauty, but life in this verdant paradise is far from idyllic. The mother and daughter act out a pathetic, passive-aggressive ballet, with an "intermission" created by the appearance of neighbors. McDonagh shows a startling gift for language, creating a rich between-the-lines subtext that propels the play to its tragic climax. We meet Ray (Brian Vaughn), dressed as a modern-day punk but still very much a country lad who respects his elders, and his somewhat confused older brother, Pato (Jonathan Smoots). Pato, Maureen's would-be suitor, is presented here as a sacrificial lamb. He is manipulated -- and eventually discarded -- by Maureen, who seems more focused on punishing her mother than escaping to a better life with Pato. While Laura Gordon infuses Maureen with great energy, she is almost too animated for the role. She's also much prettier than one would imagine for a careworn country girl, despite her drab clothes. When Pato calls her a "beauty queen" we can almost believe this is true, which makes her circumstances as a 40-year-old virgin more problematic. As she prepares for a party, Maureen is too easily transformed from Cinderella rags to a princess. As Mag, Rose Pickering gives the performance of her career. She's not afraid to be too harsh, too old or too hideous-looking in this role, which is a credit to her security as an actor. She wields a spell over the entire play, and her demise ends a formidable performance.
In an interesting twist, director Edward Morgan chooses to downplay the most pivotal moment of Beauty Queen. The audience is left wondering about what actually happens between mother and daughter, and it isn't until some time later that the truth finally dawns. It's somewhat dissatisfying that the dramatic moment is lost. In another fine performance, Brian Vaughn proves again that he's an up-and-coming actor with a limitless range. He was just as convincing as Mozart in Amadeus (also at the Milwaukee Rep) as he is here as Ray, the cocky, Irish lad. He is masterful in his scenes with Mag, conveying a pained look every time she asks for assistance.
Beauty Queen is a finely-executed production, with credit to the cast, the beautifully crafted set, and equally top-notch lighting and sound design.
