Set in the 1950s, Tom Murphy’s play ‘The House’ takes centre stage at the Town Hall Theatre, in Galway, in a daring revival by the Druid production team. The plot sees a man named Christy – a local who has returned from England – subtly shift a conversation with a mate who is a lawyer towards a house on the market. Marty Rea’s portrayal of Christy exhibits an enthralling shyness as he inquires about the property’s worth while avoiding looking directly at his companion.
Woodlawn, a charming historic edifice, is now on sale after many years of rigorous maintenance. It belongs to the kind-hearted Mrs de Burca, played brilliantly by Marie Mullen, who used to employ Christy’s mother as a maid. She views Christy as her adopted family member. Her daughters, however, have differing opinions of him: Marie, who is focused on her career, doesn’t seem quite comfortable with him in the house, the married Louise maintains an intimate relationship with him, while Suzanne, a snob freshly arrived from England, dismisses him with a tart observation that all men are procurers.
The play unfolds across a two-week summer period where locals are back from overseas. Murphy paints a vivid picture of 1950s Tuam where Christy and his lads display their disgust for their unwelcoming fellow townsfolk by banging down their pub glasses and alternating between standard accents and peculiar ones adopted from Hollywood films. One character, excellently performed by Cathal Ryan, who never left home, is clearly irritated by their complaints and poses the stinging question: “Where do you actually belong? You don’t belong anywhere.”
Garry Hynes, the director of the production, and Francis O’Connor, the set designer, utilise this troubling sense of rootlessness to frame an audacious dramaturgy where the unpredictable character of Christy lurks unseen within the interior of Mrs de Burca’s house even as a slanted external wall seems to hang inexplicably overhead akin to a distorted mirror image. ‘The House’ has been ingeniously morphed into a funhouse by Druid which certainly breathes new life into the traditional interpretation.
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It appears that a deep dive into the mind of Christy, the protagonist of Murphy’s 24-year-old play, is the natural progression of the story. In the play, we see hints at a traumatic childhood, a violent father, and Christy’s attempt to escape. The character’s complex psychology comes to light, showing Christy oscillating between childlike innocence and fear, as he watches the de Burca family secretly or rejoins them to peruse a family photo album.
The play’s subtleties are hidden, demanding a keen eye from the audience. Community members openly deal with their shared traumas, such as the potent scene where Mrs de Burca of Mullen’s passes a cigarette to her daughter while expressing regret for not intervening in her husband’s abuse. In contrast, returning characters communicate in an ambiguous language – accusations of child harassment against a sergeant, a labourer with suspiciously soft hands, or a stylish woman who explains her dress was a “gift” in a vague matter.
Murphy is fascinated by the clandestine existence of those compelled to relocate. His breakthrough play from 1961, “A Whistle in the Dark”, is a counterpoint of “The House”. The characters yearn for a sanctuary, undisturbed by the world’s deceit and violence. However, by the end, all that remains of the house are unkempt lawns and dilapidated walls.
“The House”, produced by Druid, is showing at the Town Hall Theatre, Galway, till Saturday, September 21st. The theatre production will be showcased at the Gaiety, during the Dublin Theatre Festival, from Thursday, September 26th to Sunday, October 6th.