8 to 15 April 2006

The Beauty Queen Of Leenane

by Martin McDonagh

directed by Pat Boxall

Set in mountains of Connemara, County Galway, The Beauty Queen of Leenane tells the darkly comic tale of Maureen Folan, a plain, lonely woman in her early 40s who lives with her ageing, manipulative and self-pitying mother, Mag. They are locked in a battle of shrewd wits and iron wills, each spending her days harboring ancient grudges, plotting revenge and reveling in tiny victories. When monstrous Mag maliciously interferes with Maureen's first and possibly only chance of a loving relationship, she pushes Maureen one step too far...

This haunting Irish drama combines traditional story-telling with savage ironic humour and won Martin McDonough four Tony awards on Broadway together with the Evening Standard's Most Promising Playwright award in 1996.

Review