How it’s New York: It’s playing in Chelsea.
How it’s Irish: … at The Irish Rep., and is written by an Irish playwright!
The Beacon, written by Nancy Harris and directed by Marc Atkinson Borrull, is a gripping family drama with a twist of a mystery set in West Cork, Ireland. The play centers around an artist, portrayed by Kate Mulgrew, who lives in an isolated house surrounded by water and is undergoing renovations to create an ever increasingly transparent living space. We learn the metaphoric relevance of this need for transparency half way through the play as a mystery about a death at sea is weaved into the conversations between the mother and son.
The story unfolds during a dinner party hosted by Mulgrew’s character, an iconoclast artist hiding on the South West coast, where she is unexpectedly visited by her son, played by Zach Appelman, who returns from Silicon Valley with his young American wife, Ayana Workman. The mother was unaware of her son’s marriage, leading to tension and resentment as he blames her for not attending the wedding, citing her fear of flying as the presumed reason. This transpires to be far from the truth.
As the evening progresses, deep family secrets are revealed, including the mysterious death of the son’s father, which casts a long shadow over their relationship.
Some main themes include the life of the artist, the insularity that often accompanies creative passion, and the challenges of maintaining human connections. A poignant moment arises when the mother admits, “I love being your mother, but I just found art more satisfying,” underscoring the tension between her role as a parent and her commitment to her craft.
“I love being your mother, but I just found art more satisfying.”
The staging effectively captures the presence of the ocean, though it occasionally gives the impression that the house is submerged. The performances are generally strong, although the accents of some American actors attempting Irish dialects can feel inconsistent at times.
Overall, The Beacon is a compelling exploration of family dynamics, artistic devotion, and the haunting presence of the past. I found myself hooked from beginning to end, intrigued by the unfolding mystery, the solid character studies and the intricate relationships.
‘The Beacon’ has been extended into November. Go see it. You will not be disappointed.
