Thank goodness for Conor McPherson, a playwright who is keeping alive the tradition of Irish playwrights who mixed poetry with realism. In “The Seafarer,” McPherson begins with the lyrical, homespun prose of four ordinary, scruffy characters, then braids in extraordinary and stunning images when the group is expanded to include a fifth character who is not at all a “regular guy.”
The play takes place in a coastal town north of Dublin on Christmas Eve morning, afternoon and night, as James “Sharky” Harkin (Billy Meleady) comes home to care for his older brother, Richard (Floyd King), who is blind. They are visited by Ivan (Edward Gero), a bumbling lout, and Nicky (Jeff Allin), who brings with him Mr. Lockhart (Philip Goodwin).
From the moment he enters, it’s clear Mr. Lockhart doesn’t fit into this rundown scene, precisely captured in Russell Metheny’s set, its ancient sofa held together with masking tape. While costume designer Helen Huang dresses the other characters in either casual or filthy clothes, Mr. Lockhart enters in a spotless black overcoat, a white silk scarf around his neck.
As the characters proceed to get extraordinarily drunk while playing poker, it becomes increasingly apparent that Mr. Lockhart is there to possess Sharky’s soul. Goodwin offers a shockingly good portrayal of the devil and a stunning description of heaven and hell.
There are many strands running through “The Seafarer”: the love/hate theme between the brothers; the inability of all the characters to truly see themselves as they become blind drunk. But the main concerns of the play are those Lockhart’s presence poses: Is it possible for an individual to sidestep a mistake made in the past? Are forgiveness, redemption and salvation possible?
The actors in this Studio Theatre production are all talented individuals, but here they have been turned into an extraordinary ensemble by director Paul Mullins. From the way he groups his actors physically to the rhythms he gives their conversations, Mullins encourages the intricacies of McPherson’s text to become crystal clear, enriched with brogue and poetry.
If you go
“The Seafarer”
Where: The Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday; 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 8 p.m. Jan. 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17
Info: $34 to $61; 202-332-3300; studiotheatre.org
