I was thrilled when I read that Adrian Buckle was directing The Beauty Queen of Leenane as part of the MADC programme. I’ve been a Martin McDonagh fan ever since I watched The Banshees of Inisherin. Very few playwrights do love/hate relationships as ruthlessly as McDonagh, and I figured that Buckle – as I had witnessed through the Unifaun Productions glory days – was undoubtedly the best person to bring this tale of despair, spite and trapped lives to Malta.
I was right. The last psychological thriller I watched that was directed by Buckle was Black Mountain, and I had found it quite chilling. It wasn’t a patch on The Beauty Queen of Leenane, with Buckle and the cast rising and exceeding the very particular expectations that accompany a McDonagh script .
The plot is centred around Maureen, an unmarried woman in her 40s who lives with her manipulative mother Mag. Maureen is a virgin who dreams of being carried away from the misery of her life in Leenane, in Connemara (this statement in no way reflects on the actual beauty of Connemara, incidentally). Pato, a possible knight in shining armour shows up, and things take an even darker turn.
It is very difficult to find anything to criticise with this production. Buckle directed an outstanding performance by the cast of four. Isabel Warrington is magnificent as Mag, reaching the same disturbing heights she reached playing Annie Wilkes in Misery (Masquerade) – but somehow, when the end comes crashing, she also manages to make us feel sorry for her.
Andrea Pace makes an excellent Maureen, teasing us glimpses of a psychotic and sadistic personality in between her sweet dalliances with Pato (Nicholas Jackman), until we receive confirmation of what we’ve suspected all along in the most chilling of ways.
Jackman delivers an engaging Pato who transmits kindness, successfully portraying the different facets of his character’s personality in a short span of time. He’s tender, mischievous, loving, understanding, brash and, as audience, we have to stop ourselves from yelling out ‘”red flags, how are you missing them?” The character of Pato’s brother, Ray, is played by Alex Weenink – extremely convincing as a vacuous 16-year-old who is easily distracted by a biscuit even when there’s a poker being brandished right behind him.
The impact of The Beauty Queen of Leenane hinges on comedic timing and delivery. Because yes, in true McDonagh tradition – remember In Bruges, anyone? – the script is seriously funny. Fans of dark humour will lap up the deadpan one-liners, and the tone is instantly set from the very start of the play, when we meet Mag and Maureen exchanging barbs. All four actors nail the comedic aspect of their lines and it was good to see most people appreciating this type of humour, which doesn’t always land with Maltese audiences.
The Irish accents were a bit suss in parts – except for Jackman’s, but I understand he has the natural advantage. And the set changes in between acts could have been a tad tighter, especially for the all-important final one.
I applaud this extremely solid production of a very complex script. I was engrossed throughout the two-hour run and, when the final twist arrived, it left me reeling. As slow descents into the darkest of psyches go, Buckle’s direction of The Beauty Queen of Leenane shines brightly.
The Beauty Queen of Leenane runs this weekend at the next at the MADC Clubrooms in St Venera. For other theatre reviews and more culture related news see www.ramonadepares.com.
Affiliate/Advertising Disclaimer: How I Carry Out Reviews
I received no payment for this review and I used press review tickets. The opinions expressed here are purely my own and MADC had no input/control over what I wrote. No affiliate links are included in this review.To learn more about my policies and my reviewing process, visit my Affiliate/Advertising disclosure page.