Last week I attended the Los Angeles premiere of Irish playwright Martin McDonagh‘s, The Cripple of Inishmaan, over at the Kirk Douglas Theatre (part of the Center Theatre Group) in Culver City which is quickly becoming one of my favorite venues! Years ago (1996) I saw his black comedy The Beauty Queen of Leenane on Broadway and thought it was devastating and fantastic at the same time. This has similar underlying tones of tragedy and loss but it was way lighter than Leenane, infused with a sense of wry humor that seems quite particular to Ireland. The entire cast was terrific, plus with the theatre being so intimate, I really enjoyed the evening. There’s nothing like seeing live theater, if you’re a fan of the format like me, don’t miss this play. On a related sidenote, I really enjoyed spending the evening in Culver City, I don’t get over there too often but everytime I do, I think it’s fab. My pal Tina and I had some fancy cocktails at Ford’s Filling Station (along with some delicious fresh truffle potato chips) and then moved onto Akasha for dinner, which was super tasty! For a Wednesday evening, that whole area was totally buzzing, definitely pop over there when you can. This week I’m going to the opening night of God Of Carnage (downtown at the Ahmanson), which was a huge Tony-winning smash on Broadway, I know it’s going to be another excellent evening, I’ll be sure to let you guys know what I think!
It’s 1934 when word arrives on the island of Inishmaan that Hollywood is making a film on neighboring Inishmore, and Cripple Billy Claven wants in on the action. The Cripple of Inishmaan is bursting with Martin McDonagh’s signature wry humor, salty brogue and eccentric characters. This international touring production, directed by Tony Award® winner Garry Hynes (Beauty Queen of Leenane), and originally mounted by Druid theatre company of Galway, Ireland, has already racked up awards in New York, the UK and Ireland.