There's a shining gem of a play in Brian Friel's Philadelphia, Here I Come! now playing at the Irish Repertory Theatre. However one must be prepared to sit through some rather long and talky scenes to experience it. The heavy Irish accents also take a bit of getting used to. Friel's first Broadway success, the show was originally produced there in 1966, where it ran for 326 performances.
In the small village of Ballybeg, Ireland (circa 1964), 25 year-old Gareth O'Donnell (Michael Fitzgerald) is happily packing in preparation of his moving to Philadelphia, U.S.A. the next morning. After years of working in his father's shop and being treated no better than a common laborer (his mother having died when he was a baby), Gareth is more than ready to leave. Especially since Kate Doogan (Tessa Klein), the girl he loved, recently married another, much more successful, man.
While outwardly Gareth is looking forward to putting these unhappy memories behind him, his inner voice (played by a very acrobatic and pixyish James Kennedy) keeps telling him things he doesn't want to hear- such as that it was his unwillingness to stand up for himself, which was at least partly responsible for the current situation at home, as well as his losing Kate. Granted, his old man may be emotionless and set in his ways, but if Gareth could have really tried to talk to him, things might have changed- and still could. The most poignant moments of the evening are when Gareth faces his father and Kate (in separate situations) and tries to come up with the right things to say, while his inner voice is pleading for him to tell them what's in his heart.
Gareth's anger and emotional pain does come to the fore, but mainly in his numerous conversations with his inner self. Here we watch the transformation from a supposedly happy-go-lucky young man about to embark on a new life to someone who is hurt, angry and desperately wanting love. It becomes clear Gareth doesn't want to leave home, but too many bridges have been burned, and too many things said, or not said, for him to stay. We also see other characters betray their feelings in private moments; such as his father stopping for a moment outside Gareth's room before moving on, or touching his son's coat gently; and Gareth's receiving an embrace by an old, somewhat drunken man (James A. Stephens) who may have loved his mother long ago. All these actions add gentle, yet vivid colors to the emotional canvas Friel is creating.
The show's pacing however is rather uneven, with several scenes that seem to drag on endlessly. It's hard to say if the fault lies in the script or with Ciaran O'Reilly's direction, as both work beautifully in some places, but fall short in others. The play could definitely benefit from some editing, with at least a few characters reduced in scope or removed entirely, as well as a little more energy where some of the scenes are concerned. But through it all, the main message of the piece, the need to communicate with those you love, still shines through.
Fitzgerald is good as a likeable loser who never seems to be able to say what he feels, while Kennedy is superb as his alter ego. Owens is nicely stoic as the father, and Klein is appealing as Kate. Doing an enjoyable comic turn is Paddy Croft as the housekeeper, just about the only character (other than Gareth's hidden persona) who is able to express what she's feeling. Costumes by David Toser and the set by David Raphel work well.
Carol Rosegg
"Philadelphia, Here I Come!"
The Irish Repertory Theatre
132 West 22nd Street
Tickets: $45.00 - $50.00
Reservations: 212-727-2737
Running Time: Approximately Two Hours, 30 Minutes
Judd Hollander is the New York Correspondent for the London publication The Stage.
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