Lennox Robinson (1886–1958)

Around 2009, the Mint Theatre in NYC put on a production of Lennox Robinson's Drama in Inish. A year later, they uncovered a Teresa Deevy play (Wife to James Whelan), and undertook to revive her long-neglected body of work for modern audiences. Reading this collection, I am curious as to why they did not do the same for the far superior plays of Lennox Robinson. Perhaps he was not considered forgotten enough?

At any rate, excellent plays in this volume.

Patriots : Set in the doldrums just before the Troubles. An incarcerated revolutionary is freed, only to find Ireland has become a nation of shopkeepers who couldn't care less about Self Rule.

The Whiteheaded Boy : The favored ("white-headed") son returns home a failure, to the frustration of his (many) siblings who have put their lives on hold so that all money could go towards his education.

Crabbed Youth and Age : A bit of a riff on one of the complaints in the previous play: three sisters of marriageable age who are still waiting their turn to land a husband - because their mother keeps stealing the affections of every man or boy who sets foot in their house.

The Big House : A fallen family in their huge ancestral home are caught in the middle of the conflict between the Irish nationals and the Black-and-Tans. Rather political and anti-political at the same time.

Drama at Inish : A theatre troupe specializing in Russian plays sets up shop in a seaside vacation town, inspiring the residents to discover new pathos in their hitherto humdrum lives. Highly recommended.

Church Street : Bit of a meta-play going on here. A playwright returns to his small hometown from the city, idly invents in his mind a play that exaggerates the small dramas in the lives of each of the guests at his welcome-back party, then discovers that he may in fact have predicted their futures.… (more)