The Beauty Queen of Leenane
A mother daughter relationship hides a dark secret
What feels distinctive is McDonagh's gift for extended gags, seemingly innocuous scraps of dialogue building up to savagely ironic punchlines, and sly, sadistic details that are unnecessary, appalling, yet curiously entertaining.
The Guardian
A mother daughter relationship hides a dark secret
A mother daughter relationship hides a dark secret
Celebrated Irish theatre maker Rachel O' Riordan celebrates another season as the artistic director of the Lyric Hammersmith with a groundbreaking series of thought-provoking and highly entertaining productions. Employing a hands on approach, she directs a few of her curated productions herself, including fellow Irish playwright Martin McDonagh's Tony Award-winning dark comedy thriller The Beauty Queen of Leenane.
The thought provoking revival centres around the unhealthy relationship between an ailing mother, Mag, and her unhappy daughter, Maureen. The two bicker and tear each other apart constantly, and when Maureen emerges from her room after a one night stand, they fight again in front of her overnight guest. With venom and vitriol poisoning the air, Mag insists that she is Maureen's carer and not the other way around, begging the question, why does Mag need a carer in the first place..?