Tantalizing tragedy

>> La Reine de beauté de Leenane's sick pleasures make it a classic

by AMY BARRATT

Two years ago, after seeing the Centaur production, I wrote, "While I believe The Beauty Queen of Leenane to be in many ways a brilliant play, I hope I never have to sit through a performance of it again. These people are that horrid."

Well, last week I willingly went to see La Reine de beauté de Leenane at La Licorne. A memory lapse? Not entirely. I went into the theatre with trepidation to meet these characters again, but also excitement. After all, a brilliant play doesn't come down the pike very often.

The Beauty Queen is a little easier to take, but no less fascinating when you know what's coming. That's the first clue that it deserves a place among the great plays. Director Martin Faucher has you on edge from the start as the theatre is plunged into darkness, then a row of white lights are shone into the spectator's eyes. A little bit ballpark, a little bit torture chamber. The first thing we see on stage is the old lady in her rocking chair silhouetted against a window. The word "Hitchcock" popped into my head.

The play, by Martin McDonagh, translated into French by National Theatre School graduate Fanny Britt, tells the story of Mag Folan (Denise Gagnon), a bitter old waste of space, and her 40-year-old daughter, Maureen (Micheline Bernard). Maureen's days are spent waiting hand and foot on her barnacle of a mother. But Maureen is no saint. As we will soon see, she can give at least as good as she gets from the old lady.

When I first saw the play, it struck me as pure theatre of cruelty. I wished it had been directed to make me care a little bit about these people, in spite of their horribleness. Well, on second viewing I still don't care about them, but I don't really care that I don't care, and I'm beginning to see them as tragic figures. And do we need to feel sorry for, say, Oedipus? Do we wish that Medea were more "sympathetic"?

The answer, of course, is no. For a tragic figure to escape his fate would halt the relentless march of tragedy, thus ruining our enjoyment of the play. McDonagh plays with our expectations when he briefly makes it seem that Maureen will escape Leenane. As a spectator, you have to face the fact that you don't really want her to get the happy ending. It would not only be unrealistic, but it would be even more depressing than the true ending which, in its sick way, provides something approaching catharsis.

In Mag and Maureen, McDonagh has created two great iconic characters. The public will go back to see this play over and over to see how different actresses interpret these great roles.

Culture on the move

The Playwrights' Plateau Walking Tour presents 10-minute plays by six local playwrights, and a chance to learn something about the neighbourhood at the same time. The tour, led by David Fennario, will feature staged readings set in Carré St-Louis, on the steps of the Schubert Bathhouse and other locales. Saturday, Sept. 29, tours depart at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. from Playwrights' Workshop (4324 St-Laurent). Call to reserve, 843-3685.

Also on Saturday, the National Theatre School opens its doors to the public. There will be demonstrations of theatre arts for adults and children, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at NTS (5030 St-Denis). Both events are part of Les Journées de la culture.

La Reine de beauté de Leenane, to Oct. 27 at La Licorne, 523-2246