NEW YORK OPENING REVIEWS
THE NEW YORK TIMES REVIEW
THEATER MANIA REVIEW
THE NEW YORK POST REVIEW
DAILY NEWS REVIEW
ASSOCIATED PRESS REVIEW

THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN by Oscar winning writer/director Martin McDonagh opened last week in New York to rave reviews and will continue its run there until March 2009. Creating a major buzz in the run up to the opening with critics now describing it as “Garry Hynes’s first rate production”… “It’s hard to imagine an interpretation that makes this play’s singular melding of sentimentality and savagery feel more organic than this one does”. (The New York Times), The Cripple of Inishmaan is already echoing the success of Druid’s and McDonagh’s last foray on the same New York stage.

In attendance at the opening in New York were director, Garry Hynes, writer, Martin McDonagh, Consul General of Ireland, Niall Burgess, actor Aidan Gillen (The Wire) and artistic director of the Atlantic Theater, Neil Pepe who is currently enjoying success on Broadway with Speed-The-Plow by David Mamet.

The Atlantic Theater Company, New York, was the original host for the Druid and Royal Court co-production of The Beauty Queen of Leenane, also written by McDonagh, before it transferred to Broadway where it won a total of four Tony awards for Druid, including a Tony Award for Best Director for Garry Hynes, the first woman to win the award. The Cripple of Inishmaan features leading Irish actress, Marie Mullen, who won a Tony Award for Best Actor for her role in The Beauty Queen of Leenane when she performed with Druid on Broadway in 1998. Associated Press said of Aaron Monaghan “Not since Philip Anglim on Broadway in “The Elephant Man” nearly 30 years ago has an actor so physically inhabited a role”.

Commenting on Druid’s success in New York and on the year gone by Garry Hynes, Artistic Director said “It’s early in the day but to have a set of unequivocally wonderful reviews including the all important New York Times is thrilling. This combined with sold out houses in New York has made all the Druids very happy indeed”.

Tim Smith, General Manager said – “To end 2008 with a sell out critically acclaimed production in New York is the icing on the cake for a phenomenal year for Druid. 232 performances across Ireland, the UK and America are culminating in the most spectacular fashion possible” .

Neil Pepe, Artistic Director of Atlantic said – “It was truly a dream come true to be reunited with Martin, Garry and the Druid. This is an extraordinary production that already is a bona fide New York hit” .

Druid revisited the work of McDonagh when The Cripple of Inishmaan opened in Galway last September before it undertook an extensive tour in Ireland and the UK. It then transferred to the Atlantic Theater in New York where it opened on December 18th. Touring to 12 venues in 2008, The Cripple of Inishmaan heralded two significant strategic developments for Druid; the company’s first co-production with an American theatre and the beginning of a partnership with Oxford Playhouse which will see Druid touring a number of venues throughout the UK over the next three years