Riding on a Sea of Emotion with Druid on Culture Night

As part of the Galway Culture night my wife and I visited the newly renovated Druid Theatre to view a screening of a film showing the Druid production of ‘Riders to the Sea’ by J.M.Synge. The short 30 minute film tells the story of a mother’s struggle against the forces of the sea on the West Coast of Ireland, which tragically takes the life of all her six sons over time. The play dates from 1904 and George Moore, the famous Irish writer, is quoted as describing this one act play as “an experiment in language rather than a work of art” and went on to state that it was its language was in his opinion principally “a discovery of style, a vehicle of expression”. Certainly it has none of the vitality and animal vigour characteristic of Christy Mahon and his fellow islanders in the more famous Synge play ‘The Playboy of the Western World’. This may be due in part to the restrictions inherent in a one act play for the development of facets of the central characters. However, the Druid Theatre Company under the direction of Garry Hynes could give added dramatic weight and depth of realisation to even a TV soap opera and the acting, set and camera angles used all give heightened affect to the plight of a hapless mother in the face of the often tragic influence of the sea in the life of the Aran Islanders. Thus, although some of the language used in the play appears somewhat dated and contrived when viewed at a century removed from the time of its first writing, there is no doubting the acting skill of Marie Mullen in particular as the agonised mother, which gives it’s a very strong emotional impact.

Finally, it was wonderful to see the building which housed the original Druid Theatre having been restored and renovated in such a fine way while still retaining the intimacy of the core stage/seating auditorium. Here’s hoping that Druid Theatre focus on the provision of a wonderful and insightful dramatic experience in the artistic life of Galway City will continue to grow and prosper even in these hard economic times.

The Druid Theatre celebrated 35 years in Galway last May and I must say having lived in the city for all of this time and seen most of their productions, that I have never seen a bad play by Druid. Perhaps the highlight for my wife and I was the time we travelled to Inismaan Island (Aran) to see Druid's production of the Playboy of the Western World in the very place where it was set originally. We will never forget the magic island setting and a wonderful never to be forgotten dramatic experience.

So if any readers get a chance to see Druid either in Ireland or abroad, please do not hesitate to go and see them.


All comments and musings welcome!