BBC R4 - The Playboy Of The Western World

BBC R4 - J M Synge's 'The Playboy Of The Western World'

Adapted for radio and directed by Peter Kavanagh.

Broadcast by BBC Radio 4 October, 1997 - although I think it's a fair bit older than that.

Coded from tape at 128/44.1



Quote from Dublin's Trinity College web site



Synge’s masterpiece provoked a furious uproar at its first production, a 100 years ago on January

26, 1907 resulting in the Playboy Riots.



The contents of the play, a story of apparent patricide, was viewed as an offence to public morals

and an insult against Ireland. Synge’s own introduction in the play’s programme stated that the

plot of a murderer being hidden from justice by the people, was suggested by an actual

occurrence in the West.



There was uproar during the third act at the mention of women 'standing in their shifts'. The

newspaper, The Freeman’s Journal, called the play a “libel on Irish peasant men and, worse still

upon Irish girlhood'. The night of the second performance was the most riotous and so disturbed

that little of the play could be heard.



The directors of the Abbey Theatre, Lady Gregory, W. B. Yeats and J. M. Synge, however, held

their nerve and the advertised run of the play was completed even though the police had to be

called to keep order.



First performed at Dublin's Abbey Theatre. Caused 'disturbances' on its first night in Dublin in

1907. One critic described it as 'an unmitigated libel upon Irish peasant men and, worse still, Irish

peasant girlhood.'

Unquote



Cast includes

Aisling O'Sullivan

Finbar Lynch

Dillie Keane