D.C. native Tim Getman joins a cast of eight onstage at Arlington’s Signature Theater for Washington’s first production of Martin McDonagh’s “The Lieutenant of Inishmore.” The dark comedy set off the coast of Ireland revolves around a dead cat mourned amid the violent struggle for Irish independence. “The Lieutenant of Inishmore” runs through Nov. 16 at Signature Theater, sig-online.org or 703-820-9771
What were the biggest challenges in rehearsing the play?
It’s set in Northern Ireland and none of us are Irish, so getting on the same page in terms of the dialect and sounding like we’re all from the same world was tough. But I think the biggest challenge was finding a balance between reality and a total cartoon world. It’s tough to make it seem real while also concentrating on the irony of the farcical violence.
Did you ever wake up speaking with an Irish accent?
No, but I lived in Ireland for two years and I used to play around with the accent to see if they questioned if I was American. By the end of two years no one really questioned me — I got pretty good.
Any funny stories come out of the production process?
The live cat that appears in the play is mine. One of the first times I brought her to the theater to get to know the set and spend time with people, I had her on my lap in the car on the way home to calm her down a bit. Then she took a dump right in my lap. So I guess animals get stage fright, too.
Does a role you’re playing affect your attitude in your real life?
Yes. Comedies are easier to do in that sense because of the audience response. When I was doing “Death of a Salesman” earlier this year, it was hard to function for almost four months because of how depressing that play is.
The play is pretty gory. How much fake blood is used each night?
I think it’s about five to 10 gallons a week, so about two gallons per night.
