Dancing at Lughnasa
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Dancing at Lughnasa (see also Lughnasa, the ancient pagan ritual) is a play by Brian Friel set in Ireland's County Donegal in August 1936. Set in the fictional town of Ballybeg (Baile Beag - small town in Irish), though many believe that Friel's true location is Glenties, a small town in south-west Donegal. It is a memory play told from the point of view of Michael Evans, the narrator. He recounts the summer in his aunts' cottage when he was seven years old.
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[edit] Summary
The five Mundy sisters (Kate, Maggie, Agnes, Rosie, and Christina), all unmarried, live in a big cottage outside of town. Kate, the oldest, is a school teacher and the only sister with a well-paid job. Agnes and Rose knit gloves to be sold in town, which earns a little bit of money for the household, as well as help keep the house with Maggie. Maggie and Christina (Michael's mother) have no income at all. Recently returned home is their brother Jack, a priest who has lived as a missionary in a leper colony in Uganda for 25 years. He is suffering from malaria and has trouble remembering many things, including the sisters' names and his English vocabulary. Gerry, Michael's father, is charming and completely unreliable. A clown and a vagabond he visits rarely and always unannounced. He has another family back in Wales, although that doesn't stop him from proposing to Christine. He has returned this time to tell her he is joining the International Brigade to fight in the Spanish Civil War.
[edit] Symbolism
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The Rooster to Gerry
- implies a cocky character.
- When the fox snatches the rooster up, it sort of symbolizes England as the predator who nabs another Irish emigrant. In traditional Irish culture they would celebrate people moving away in the same way they would celebrate a funeral, because when people moved away, typically they would leave and never return, nor was anything really sent back.[original research?]
Broken Mirror, Luck, and other Pagan ideologies
- Although the story at the surface portrayed these women as devout Catholics, there is still hints to how they hold onto their pagan traditional past.
- how the broken mirror must be kept for seven years or else bad luck would befall those who dropped it.[original research?]
Toys: Broken Hammer, Iron Fist, Cake
- This story from the character Michael (7 year old boy, son of Chris Mundy), shows the past as he perceives (narrates) it.
- He portrays his father in this positive perspective. I think it's a way of saying he still wants his promised bike. After waiting for his bike for so many years, he still, even then in the future subconsciously waiting because that is what he was used to, waiting and wishing for his father to pull through.[original research?]
The Supple Kid
Locations
- Town name: means village. Symbolizes that it could be any Irish town.
- Donagh >> Derived from *Gaelic Spelling* Domhnach >> Means Church
- Priests House
- Jack is deeply affected by the African religion and loses his faith in Christianity, and he no longer is a priest.[original research?]
[edit] In-depth character portraits
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[edit] Gerry Evans
- 33
- father of Michael, narrator.
- Very unreliable. Left Chris and Michael.
- "Wanderer"-type personality
- His clothes are clean and spotless, suggesting a hygienic appearance.
- Left Chris,with his son Michael, without any support or assistance.
- Just came back from Dublin, where he had a job as a ballroom dancing instructor.
- Now sells gramophones to earn a living
- An elegant charmer always lending compliments to the ladies.
- Leaving Ireland to go fight in the Spanish Civil War in a matter of weeks.
- Proposes to Chris Mundy on this particular visit down.
- Dances with Chris Mundy on this visit as well after an unsuccessful attempt at her acceptance of his marriage proposal.
- Wounded later on in Barcelona when he fell off his motorbike injuring his leg and leaving him with a permanent limp.
- Came back often to propose to Chris and promise a new bike for Michael.
- another family in a village in the south of Wales.
- another child named Michael Evans who was the same age.
- Had 3 other kids with the unknown mother.
- Curiously has something going with Agnes Mundy too.
- Died peacefully.
[edit] Christina Mundy
- 26 years old
- Never married.
- Referred to as Chris, Christina, and Chrissie throughout the play
- Has no money and no job.
- Lives on a farm 2 miles away from Ballybeg in County Donegal (Ireland)
- One of the 5 Mundy Sisters (Kate Mundy, Maggie Mundy, Agnes Mundy, Chris Mundy, Rose Mundy)
- Dresses poorly.
- Used to see Gerry Evans intimately, and cannot seem to get over him. Often falls into depression when he leaves, but still tries to convince herself that he will come back to her a changed man.
- Had a son with Gerry Evans, and was looked down upon for having an illegitimate child.
- Son's name is Michael, whom she loves and is very proud of.
- Is jealous of Gerry's flirtation with her other siblings
[edit] Maggie Mundy
- 38 years old
- Has no money and no job.
- A homemaker and family "Chef"
- Lives on a farm 2 miles away from Ballybeg in County Donegal (Ireland)
- Second oldest of the 5 Mundy Sisters (Kate Mundy, Maggie Mundy, Agnes Mundy, Rose Mundy, Chris Mundy)
- Dresses poorly.
- Loves to dance, tell riddles, and tease.
- The life of the play, she keeps everyone from getting too annoyed with each other.
- Secretly has her own dreams as evident from her sudden quietness upon hearing of the success of her best friend.
- Is the only sister who calls Kate "Kitty," suggesting that she is not only closest with Kate, but that she is somewhat of Kate's equal in the household.
[edit] Rose Mundy
- 32 years old
- The 2nd youngest of the 5 sisters
- Loves to dance, but is a bad dancer.
- Lives on a farm 2 miles away from Ballybeg in County Donegal (Ireland)
- One of the 5 Mundy sisters (Kate Mundy, Maggie Mundy, Agnes Mundy, Chris Mundy, Rose Mundy)
- Makes a little bit of income with Agnes Mundy to add to the Mundy sister household's income by knitting gloves.
- "Touched by the hand of God"(Developmental disability)
- Gullible. Easy to be wooed.
- Dresses poorly. Never seen out of her wellingtons.
- Seeing a guy named Danny Bradley who is a married man and has 3 kids, she believes he is in love with her.
- Ends up dying in a "hospice for the destitute in Southwark" (p60, FRIEL)
- Dies in rather dire circumstances after Agnes
- Industrialization makes her profession obsolete (knitting gloves with Agnes Mundy).
- Loves to go berry-picking with Agnes.
- Feels a type of bond and love for Agnes that she does not share with any of the other sisters.
[edit] Kate Mundy
- 40 years old, the eldest and most responsible of the 5 sisters.
- The only wage earner in the Mundy household
- Works as a school teacher
- Supports her 4 sisters, Michael, and Jack, nagging at each of them and looking out for their best interests, having become somewhat of the Mother figure of the household.
- Comes across as strict, educated, and fiercely Catholic, but is still very kind-hearted.
- Thinks Gerry Evans is a good-for-nothing vagabond, but still tries to remain polite, extending hospitality as far as offering him to stay the night in the loft of the barn.
- Is closest with her sister Maggie, who acts as her confidant.
[edit] Agnes Mundy
- 35 years old
- Loves to dance and is a good dancer
- Is secretly infatuated with Gerry Evans, and often comes to his defense.
- A hint to the hidden talents she possessed, but rarely exposed due to her lack of self confidence..
- Makes a little bit of income with Rose Mundy to add to the Mundy sister household's income by knitting gloves.
- Feels a strong sense of duty and sisterly love for Rose. She connects and shares a love with her that she does not have with any of the other sisters.
- Industrialization makes her profession obsolete (knitting gloves with Rose Mundy).
- Takes off after business dies in the mitt knitting business. Takes Rose Mundy with her.
- Cleaned bathroom stalls and lived on the streets after the industrialization period.
- Tries to support both herself and Rose and fails.
- Interesting contrast between what the women thought would be better for themselves
- thought emigration to London would be more beneficial in terms of work and overall better for the family.
- ended up worse off than if they just remained at home in Ireland
- Interesting contrast between what the women thought would be better for themselves
- Dies in rather dire circumstances before Rose.
[edit] Michael Evans
- 7 years old, the typical cheeky, impish lad.
- Son of Chris Mundy and Gerry Evans
- Has his mother's eyes
- Feigns to not remember father
- excited about the bike his father is going to get him
- Narrated through the eyes of him.
- Paints kites that imply his paganism. Kites also represent escapism, freedom(flying) and aspirations.
- Story is about him as a child growing up.
- Does not physically appear onstage, but is voiced by the narrator (adult Michael) as the other actors mime his presence
- Adored by the family- each sister dreams of having a child.
[edit] Uncle Jack
- 53 years old.
- Also known as "Father Jack", he was a Catholic chaplain and a respected member of the community.
- Spent 6 months in the British army during World War I in East Africa as a missionary.
- Worked for 25 years in a leper colony in Ryanga, Uganda.
- Returned home afflicted with malaria and difficulty remembering his home and family, as well as speech impediments after speaking nothing but Swahili for 25 years.
- His strange behaviour and loss of interest in the Christian faith has lost him the respect his neighbours and community once held for him.
- Always fantasizes about returning to the leper colony in Ryanga and to his house boy, "Okawa" who he sometimes mistakenly addresses the Mundy sisters as.
[edit] Danny Bradley
- Man who Rose Mundy was seeing.
- Had 3 children and a wife
- They left him 6 months ago.
- Takes advantage of Rose's mentally challenged state, calls her "his Rose-bud"
- He takes her to see the Lughnasa fires.
- In Irish culture this was seen as a type of Irish divorce
- divorces weren't allowed in Ireland and were shunned by the church.
- typically when a couple wanted to break up, they would just move apart.
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- Not a character in the play. Only mentioned once or twice.
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[edit] The Old Radio
- Nicknamed Marconi by the sisters, providing many traditional Irish tunes to which they love to dance.
- Always breaks down and overheats, then has a funny habit of working again at the oddest of moments.
- Is beloved by 4 of the Mundy sisters, except for Kate who thinks it has taken away the time they used to spend having wholesome Christian conversations at dinner.
[edit] Production history
[edit] Original production
First produced on April 24th, 1990 at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. The original cast was:
- Michael Evans - Gerard McSorley
- Kate Mundy - Frances Tomelty
- Maggie Mundy - Anita Reeves
- Rose Mundy - Bríd Ní Neachtain
- Agnes Mundy - Bríd Brennan
- Christina Mundy - Catherine Byrne
- Gerry Evans - Paul Herzberg
- Jack - Barry McGovern
- Director - Patrick Mason
- Set and Costume Designer - Joe Vaněk
- Lighting Designer - Trevor Dawson
- Sound Designer - T. Richard Fitzgerald
[edit] London
The British Premiere took place at the Lyttelton Theatre at the Royal National Theatre, London on 15 October 1990.
The production, produced by Bill Kenwright and Noel Pearson, then moved to the Phoenix Theatre, London on 25 March 1991.
[edit] United States
Originally produced on the New York stage by Noel Pearson in association with Bill Kenwright and Joseph Harris. Opened at the Plymouth Theatre on 24 October 1991
The play then moved to Broadway where it won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1992. The cast was:
- Michael Evans - Gerard McSorley
- Kate Mundy - Rosaleen Linehan
- Maggie Mundy - Dearbhla Molloy
- Rose Mundy - Bríd Ní Neachtain
- Agnes Mundy - Bríd Brennan
- Christina Mundy - Catherine Byrne
- Gerry Evans - Robert Gwilym
- Jack - Donal Donnelly
- Director - Patrick Mason
- Set and Costume Designer - Joe Vaněk
- Lighting Designer - Trevor Dawson
- Sound Designer - T. Richard Fitzgerald
[edit] Subsequent stage productions
It was produced at Dublin's Gate Theatre in 2004.
[edit] Film adaptation
It was made into a film in 1998 starring Meryl Streep as Kate Mundy and directed by Pat O'Connor. A display of mementos from the filming of the 1998 movie are on display at the St. Connell's Museum in Glenties. The film was won one award, an Irish Film and Television Award for Best Actor in a Female Role by Brid Brennan. It was also nominated for 6 other awards including the Irish Film and Television Award for Best Feature Film.
[edit] References
- Friel, Brian Dancing at Lughnasa,Faber and Faber Limited, 1990, ISBN 0-571-14479-9
[edit] Links to study guides
- publictheatre.org Study Guide
- bookrags.com Study Guide
- teachit.co.uk Study Guide
- Study Guide in PDF Format
[edit] External links
- Dancing at Lughnasa at the Internet Movie Database
- Details about the Broadway production
- An excerpt from Dancing at Lughnasa
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