NEW YORK—Under Ciarán O'Reilly’s probing direction, Conor McPherson’s evocative “Shining City” can be said to delve into the very souls of its participants.
Seen on Broadway some years ago, the current production at off-Broadway’s Irish Repertory Theatre—now back at its original home on 22nd Street after a lengthy and successful renovation—marks a welcome revival of this provocative play.
Starting off simply enough, Ian (Billy Carter) is a psychotherapist with a new practice in Dublin. He is visited by his first patient, John (Matthew Broderick), who has suffered a recent terrible personal loss: His wife has been killed in an auto accident.
Not only is that occurrence terrible in and of itself, but John has been plagued by severe sleeplessness, and to make matters worse, he has seen his wife—his dead wife—in their home at various times.
Ian, though understandably puzzled, tries to comfort John in the belief that the matter will be successfully resolved.
Ian, however, has problems of his own. He has recently left the priesthood and is suffering from what might be termed separation anxiety. The Church had been his whole life up until that point. So it was a difficult decision to make the break, but he was helped along by Neasa (Lisa Dwan), a young woman he had met.
He and Neasa have been living together, and he has fathered a daughter with her. But recently he has been suffering in the belief that their relationship is not working out, and that he must make a break.
A passionate scene ensues between the couple. Lisa Dwan executes a heartfelt and heartbreaking performance as the woman about to be scorned, as the saying goes.
In the course of the scene, Neasa reveals a secret to Ian that sets him off even more, and it appears that the relationship may indeed be severed.
An odd scene ensues in which Ian has picked up a strange man (James Russell) in the park and brought him back to his office. There is a suggestion of intimacy. But the main thread of the story goes back to John and his inner turmoil.
As John becomes emotionally more forthcoming, he tells of past events that very likely created guilt in him. These events broke the bonds of loyalty that a valid marriage should contain and, he admits, unfairly redounded on his wife.
Over time, as John succeeds in admitting his shame and guilt, his emotional pressures appear resolved, and he can terminate treatment.
Ian too is doing better; he has apparently resolved his issues with Neasa, and they plan to move to a smaller town, one less pressuring than bustling Dublin.
There is one final event, however—something very theatrical. Did the playwright insert it from a sincere storytelling standpoint? Or was it gratuitous, to make a startling effect—which it certainly does.
This is a play about secrets, about hiding or revealing them. There is talk of what appear to be ghosts, but it is not a ghost story as such.
Interestingly, of the three characters, only Ian has not revealed a secret. Perhaps the brief scene with the strange man contains Ian’s secret—possibly an unresolved one.
“Shining City” contains a lot of talk, but it is not a talky play: The talk reveals aspects of character and events that are unusual, things generally not discussed. The viewer feels pulled into these other people’s lives; there is a sense of intimacy.
Performances, under Ciaran O'Reilly’s stewardship, are among the best to be viewed on a New York stage, or anywhere for that matter.
Matthew Broderick, who carries the heaviest load of dialogue, acquits himself admirably. Billy Carter’s Ian is strong yet contains an underlying complexity. Lisa Dwan is outstanding as Neasa. James Russell conveys a lot of intensity in his one brief scene.
Sets by Charlie Corcoran and costumes by Martha Hally are appropriate and unobtrusive, which is proper for this play.
“Shining City” is an exciting theater piece.
‘Shining City’
Irish Repertory Theatre
132 W. 22nd St.
Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes (no intermission)
Tickets: tickets: 212-727-2737, 866-811-4111 or
Closes: July 3
Diana Barth writes on the arts for various publications, including New Millennium. She may be contacted at [email protected]
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