Brian Friel Plays 1 Read Online Free

B. O’DONNELL
 
Éamonn Kelly
 
KATE DOOGAN
 
Máire Hastings
 
SENATOR DOOGAN
 
Cecil Barror
 
MASTER BOYLE
 
Dominic Roche
 
LIZZY SWEENEY
 
Ruby Head
 
CON SWEENEY
 
Tom Irwin
 
BEN BURTON
 
Michael Mara
 
NED
 
Éamon Morrissey
 
TOM
 
Brendan O’Sullivan
 
JOE
 
Emmet Bergin
 
CANON MICK O’BYRNE
 
Alex McDonald
 
 
 
 
 
Direction
 
Hilton Edwards
 
Setting  
 
Alpho O’Reilly
    Set
    When the curtain rises the only part of the stage that is lit is the kitchen, i.e. the portion on the left from the point of view of the audience. It is sparsely and comfortlessly furnished – a bachelor’s kitchen. There are two doors; one left which leads to the shop, and one upstage leading to the scullery (off). Beside the shop door is a large deal table, now set for tea without cloth and with rough cups and saucers. Beside the scullery door is an old-fashioned dresser. On the scullery wall is a large school-type clock.
    Stage right, now in darkness, is Gar’s bedroom. Both bedroom and kitchen should be moved upstage, leaving a generous apron. Gar’s bedroom is furnished with a single bed, a wash-hand basin (crockery jug and bowl), a table with a record-player and records, and a small chest of drawers.
    These two areas – kitchen and Gar’s bedroom – occupy more than two-thirds of the stage. The remaining portion is fluid: in Episode I for example, it represents a room in Senator Doogan’s home.

    The two Gars, PUBLIC GAR and PRIVATE GAR , are two views of the one man. PUBLIC GAR is the Gar that people see, talk to, talk about. PRIVATE GAR is the unseen man, the man within, the conscience, the alter ego, the secret thoughts, the id. PRIVATE GAR , the spirit, is invisible to everybody, always. Nobody except PUBLIC GAR hears him talk. But even PUBLIC GAR , although he talks to PRIVATE GAR occasionally, never sees him and never looks at him. One cannot look at one’s alter ego.

    Time : the present in the small village of Ballybeg in County Donegal, Ireland. The action takes place on the night before, and on the morning of Gar’s departure for Philadelphia.
    Music
    Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64
    Ceilidh music
    ‘All Round My Hat’ – first verse
    ‘She Moved through the Fair’ – second verse
    ‘California, Here I Come!’
    ‘Give the Woman in the Bed more Porter’

EPISODE ONE
    Kitchen in the home of County Councillor, S. B. O’DONNELL , who owns a general shop. As the curtain rises MADGE , the housekeeper, enters from the scullery with a tray in her hands and finishes setting the table. She is a woman in her sixties. She walks as if her feet were precious. She pauses on her way past the shop door.
    M ADGE : Gar! Your tea!
    PUBLIC : ( Off ) Right!
    ( She finishes setting the table and is about to go to the scullery door when PUBLIC GAR marches on stage. He is ecstatic with joy and excitement: tomorrow morning he leaves for Philadelphia. )
    PUBLIC : ( Singing ) ‘Philadelphia, here I come, right back where I started from …’ ( Breaks off and catches Madge. ) Come on, Madge! What about an old time waltz!
    MADGE : Agh, will you leave me alone.
    ( He holds on to her and forces her to do a few steps as he sings in waltz time. )
    PUBLIC : ‘Where bowers of flowers bloom in the spring’ –
    MADGE : ( Struggling )Stop it! Stop it! You brat you!
    PUBLIC : Madge, you dance like an angel. ( Suddenly lets her go and springs away from her. ) Oh, but you’d give a fella bad thoughts very quick!
    MADGE : And the smell of fish of you, you dirty thing!
    ( He grabs her again and puts his face up to hers, very confidentially. )
    PUBLIC : Will you miss me?
    MADGE : Let me on with my work!
    PUBLIC : The truth!
    MADGE : Agh, will you quit it, will you?
    PUBLIC : I’ll tickle you till you squeal for mercy.
    MADGE : Please, Gar …
    PUBLIC : ( Tickling her ) Will you miss me, I said?
    MADGE : I will – I will – I will – I –
    PUBLIC : That’s better. Now tell me: what time