Molly Sweeney
by Brian Friel
Directed by Robert Ashton
March 16, 2024
Paul Gutting, Maggie Wininger, CJ Langdon
Photo by John Lamb
Albion Theatre
Albion Theatre’s latest production highlights the work of one of Ireland’s most celebrated modern playwrights. Brian Friel, known for Dancing at Lughnasa among other works, has experimented a bit with format for the sake of concentrating on character in the intriguing Molly Sweeney, which features three characters describing the same series of events, but without ever directly interacting. At Albion, in a riveting, deliberately paced production directed by Robert Ashton, these characters and the highly thought-provoking subject matter are brought to life with compelling depth and energy.
The play’s title character, Molly (Maggie Wininger) is an independent, optimistic woman in her early 40s who has been blind for most of her life, having lost her sight as a very young child; until she meets and marries Frank (CJ Langdon), an amiable and charming man who has spent his life pursuing one adventurous “cause” after another. The research-minded Frank becomes determined that Molly would be able to regain at least some of her sight through surgery. The surgeon they consult, Mr. Rice (Paul Gutting) is a once-celebrated professional who has experienced several personal setbacks. Upon being presented with Molly’s case, Rice sees an opportunity not only to help her, but also to possibly reinvigorate his career. All three characters tell the story after the fact, each from their own individual perspective. This structure allows the audience to examine the characters and the situation with a slightly heightened focus, adding some weight to the philosophical ideas and practical implications as we see them talk about the events both as ideas and as reality. Also, the fact that we never see the characters interact lends to the exercise of imagining how they would do so, allowing especially for examination of Molly’s and Frank’s marriage from a more detached perspective.
While there is very little in the sense of “action” in this play, the performances of the talented cast members provide much in the way of drama, so that even though the play is talky, it’s never boring. The story is able to personalize weighty issues concerning the nature of perception–visual vs. tactile, and the effects of integrating these means of gaining information–through these vividly drawn characters. The actors here are more than up to that task, with Wininger’s Molly going through a credible transformation as she portrays her experiences and recollections of growing up, as well as the unexpectedly devastating effects of the operation. Langdon is personable and energetic as Frank, and at once it’s easy to see why Molly would be attracted to him, while also seeing why they might not be such a good fit as a couple. Gutting, as Rice, is also excellent, with a somewhat “matter-of-fact” telling of his story while also keeping a compelling air of mystery.
The energy and flow of this play is driven by these three powerful performances, and the staging is paced well, with the setting and technical elements providing a suitable backdrop for the storytelling. The set by Eric Kuhn is simple and effective, aided by strong lighting by Eric Wennlund and sound by Ashton. Tracey Newcomb’s costumes fit the characters well, adding detail to their characterizations.
Molly Sweeney is a fascinating play, in structure, story, characters and philosophical concepts. It’s one of those plays than can leave viewers asking “what would I do?” It’s well worth a look, and a whole lot of thought.
Maggie Wininger, Paul Gutting, CJ Langdon
Photo by John Lamb
Albion Theatre
Albion Theatre is presenting Molly Sweeney at the Kranzberg Performing Arts Center until March 31, 2024
Leave a Reply