Big Maggie -The Gaiety Theatre – Review

By John B Keane Directed by Garry Hynes – Runs until 12 March

We meet Maggie at the funeral of her husband. She is listening to the platitudes of some mourners, who are trying to be kind to the new widow but she seems unperturbed and dismisses them abruptly. She had no love for her spouse and is taking no small joy in being set free. Later the family gather to listen to the will. Maggie has four children, two boys and two girls and each has reached maturity. They are expecting to hear how their father has distributed his wealth, but instead hear that he had already signed everything over to Maggie. The children react with scorn as they see their father having broken his promises to them. Maggie is left in a position of power over her children and this power threatens to break the family apart forever.

This play was written in 1969 by John B Keane, some two years after his greatest work, the Field. The setting for this play is once more small town Ireland, in a family owned shop and farm somewhere in Kerry. This is no rural idyll though and the house becomes a battle field for the family members trying to fight for air against their dominant mother. The play is rich with the ideas and values of rural society, with issues such as inheritance, land and money coming to the fore.

Much has been made of Keith Duffy playing the part of commercial traveller Teddy Heelin, with the ex boyband member working with the world famous Druid. It is a relatively small part with only a couple of scenes. He is possibly more at home on the small screen than on the stage, but he did not look out of place in this production.

Druid have a consistent high standard and this production is no different. It is a rich and intense production of Keane’s play. The plot to this tale is remarkably straight forward, with few twists or turns as the play develops. The performance of Aisling O’Sullivan is the crux of the play and she dominates it, the rest of the cast have small parts by comparison.  She rules over the proceedings, exerting her control over those around her showing little in the way of maternal love. It is a great part and O’Sullivan takes delight in creating a monster.

Big Maggie runs at the Gaiety Theatre until the 12th of March.

Duration – 150 minutes including interval.

Cast – Aisling O’Sullivan, Keith Duffy, Clare Barrett, Charlotte McCurry, Karen McCartney, Muiris Crowley, Emmet Byrne, Clare Monnelly, Joan Sheehy and John Olohan.