"When a character in a play so shreds your nerves that you find yourself itching to throttle him within the first 15 minutes, you can be sure an exhilarating night at the theater is not on the menu. When said character is one of only two in the play, the sole item on the menu is likely to be unrelieved agony. This, unfortunately, sums up my experience at John McManus’s comedy...Despite two excellent performances, the play grinds on for 90 minutes, sustained by what is essentially a single joke."
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"Watching a 90-year-old man take his first bath in several years might not sound like a barrel of laughs, but put Irish Rep regular Peter Maloney in that tub, and you're guaranteed a good time...Some plot twists are overly tidy, but no matter. It's a treat to hang out with this rascally, irascible old-timer."
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"It's that kind of realism that distinguishes Ciarán O'Reilly's direction and the production as a whole...Though he never leaves the tub, Maloney fills the stage with his presence like a blustering King Lear. Collins also impresses with a nuanced performance. Both actors make 'The Quare Land' a must-see."
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"After 20 minutes or so of watching Hugh behave like the world's oldest spoiled brat, claustrophobia set in and I began to feel I might be trapped with him forever. It certainly doesn't help that, under the direction of Ciarán O'Reilly, Peter Maloney plays Hugh on a single note of bluster, shouting out line after line until you're ready to beg for mercy...Rufus Collins is made to stand around, trying to get a word in edgewise...It's a waste of a fine actor."
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"Amusing but rudderless...At ten minutes in length, this would be straining; at 75 minutes, it's practically coma-inducing...Director O'Reilly creates a few dynamic moments among the static dramatic requirements playwright McManus has imposed. But he's still tasked with transforming low comedy into high drama without possessing the raw material that might make it possible. Knowing when enough is too much is critical, and it's not clear that McManus does."
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"Irish playwright John McManus’ dialogue is laden with mordant Irish wit and plenty of colorful details woven in...Director Ciarán O’Reilly’s staging has a variety of business and keeps the pace and action energetic. Mr. O’Reilly’s work with the actors has yielded excellent performances of great charm and depth...It’s a hugely enjoyable blend of absurdity and harsh reality."
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"It's inevitable that 'The Quare Land' belongs to the actor playing Pugh. But Collins gives a fine performance as well...The two have just the right chemistry for McManus's script. And under Ciarán O'Reilly's direction, their joint performance is an object lesson in comic timing and a highlight of the fall theater season."
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"If you’re the type of person who enjoys watching a crazy but endearing old guy frustrate the hell out of a younger business man, then this show will deliver. If, like me, you tend to grow frustrated at conversations that don’t go anywhere, then you might want to sit this one out."
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