Last night, Brian and I went to the revival of the Beauty Queen of Leenane, the Martin McDonagh play. We had seen it together over a decade ago, but I had forgotten how perfectly judged it is. There are only four parts, but they are all fully developed and while a black comedy, you are not laughing at the characters out of superiority, but out of identification. The opening scene of the second half, where Patto reads his letter to Maureen out loud, is a comic masterpiece.
The Young Vic is a small theatre, which means that the audience really feel absorbed in the production. In the second half, the audience was unselfconsciously oohing and aahing at the drama, which I don't recall ever having heard before in a theatre in quite that way.
It's not quite my favourite Martin McDonagh play - the Lieutenant of Inishmore takes that prize - but it is a great play. I'd recommend it to anyone.
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