Hugh Hefner does not appear in Playboy of the Western World. There are no bunnies, no mansions, and no centerfolds. Feel free to stop reading now if you were under the impression that Miss May was coming to the Balch Arena Theater.
Now that the obligatory Playboy joke is out of the way, let's move on. Playboy of the Western World is a comedy about a mysterious man (Patrick Murray) who arrives in a village in rural Ireland, reveals he's killed his father, and is made a hero. Confused? Just wait. The plot is further complicated by a pub owner's daughter (Nicole Frattaroli), a sexy widow (Sarah Marcus), another mysterious appearance, and rioters. And this is all in Irish accents.
Can comedy and outrage coexist? Can history and theater fuse? Can a man who murders his father be a hero? All are important questions that Playboy of the Western World tries to answer. However as this is a comedy, the most important question is "Is it funny?"
When John M. Synge's Playboy of the Western World was first performed in 1907, audiences in Dublin were outraged. Many considered the play an affront to decency and an attack on Irish culture, which resulted in riots. While the elements of the play that were objectionable in 1907 may seem harmless to a modern audience (the word petticoat just isn't that shocking anymore), history is an important part of this production. Director Sudipto Chatterjee has chosen to incorporate the past of Playboy of the Western World into the show, to "make the history part of the comedy."
Before the play begins, audiences will have the opportunity to view an exhibit on the history of the play, the riots it caused, and Anglo/Irish relations at the turn of the last century. This should help audiences to place the play in its historical context. Chatterjee takes this historical integration a step further by incorporating rioters into the performance, a concept he refers to as a "time warp experiment." Similarly, deliberately anachronistic elements of the production evoke modern playboys (think James Bond and John Wayne).
Music is also very much a part of this production. According to stage manager Amanda Berkowitz, all these elements come together in "a crazy world... because only in a crazy world would a town accept a murderer and then glorify him." This crazy world fuses history with drama and creates a production that actor Josh Bauml (Old Mahon) describes as "different from any theatrical experience. Very fun. Very original." Chatterjee's production strives to bring an old play together in a new and unique way and to bring the audience into the world of that play.
This world includes singing, dancing, and the uilleann bagpipes - a type of Irish bagpipes that actor Patrick Murray plays in the performance. All the play's action takes place in a pub, complete with thatch, poteen (an alcohol made of potato juice), and town drunks. The set and costumes place the audience directly in a 1907 rural Irish village.
When asked why Tufts students should attend Playboy of the Western World Chatterjee said, "Do you want a laugh? Do you want to be outraged? [This is] a comic meal. I'm asking people to come and get fed. Enjoy. It's a banquet."
Playboy of the Western World opens Thursday, Feb. 14 in the Balch Arena Theater. There will be a wine and cheese reception following the opening night performance that the audience is encouraged to attend. Further performances will take place Feb. 15, 16, 21, and 22 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.. Tickets are $10 for the public, $6 for senior citizens, and $5 with a Tufts ID. $3 tickets are available for the 14th and $1 tickets are available for the 21st. For more information or to buy tickets over the phone contact the Balch Arena Theater Box Office at 617 627 3493.
