If there is one thing the majority of us living on the island of Ireland can agree on, it is that no matter how old you are - your mother knows best (or at least thinks she does).
Sitting down at the Lyric Theatre for this performance of The Beauty Queen of Leenane, accompanied by my own mother I took great pleasure in jokingly pointing out the similarities between her and the character Mag.
Written by Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin), this play has already had major success having won four Tony Awards for a Broadway production and having been nominated for an Olivier Award.
This joint production between the Lyric and Prime Cut is directed by Emma Jordan (The Border Game), who has captured the unbearable tension and loneliness of an isolated existence perfectly.
Set in an isolated postcardesque cottage in Connemara, Maureen Folan (Nicky Harley) leads a lonely life with Mag (Ger Ryan), her demanding, manipulative mother.
With the arrival of an unexpected admirer (Caolan Byrne) and his brother (Marty Breen), Maureen finally sees the possibility of escaping her dismal life.
However, Mag has other ideas, and the two women are plunged into a desperate conflict which leads to a shocking conclusion.
Throughout the performance, we get a sense that all is not right with Maureen's mental health as she scolds her mother and her mother recalls abuse that she has suffered at her hands.
However, as an audience we are left weighing up the possibility that it is Mag who could be suffering from a cognitive illness such as dementia.
As the play progresses, Harley encapsulates her characters existence to perfection as her mental state changes with the arrival of a new love interest.
Harley has to be the stand out of this production and her energetic performance has to be applauded.
Both Harley and Ryan work extremely well together and the love hate relationship of their characters will bring laughter to the auditorium as we recognise aspects of their characters in others we know.
This is a play with a great theatrical history and this production certainly lives up to that. Leaving the auditorium, it was clear to see that it will be enjoyed throughout its run.
The Beauty Queen of Leenane runs at the Lyric Theatre until 1st July 2023.
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