BRIMSTONE
Music by Paddy Meeghan, Book and Lyrics by Mary Bracken Phillips
show details
Cast Size: 13 (9M, 4W) - May be expanded as needed.
synopsis
"Brimstone" is set in 1998 Belfast where the bloody dance between Irish and English, Catholic and Protestant, continues with fury. Eamon Dunne is "the man who walked away." A prestigious architectural scholarship from Princeton University had taken Eamon out of strife filled Northern Ireland eight years before. At the plays's start, Eamon has returned home to attend the funeral of his brother, an Irish Republican Army terrorist gunned down by the police. In an attempt to come to grips with his brother's death, Eamon must confront his own pacifism in the face of increasing violence. He also must confront the wild spirited Miraid, the woman that he left behind convinced by a family determined to keep him safe in America, that she no longer loved him. Though the plot is complicated by the presence of spies and counter spies, "Brimstone" is basically a love story framed by betrayal, both political and emotional. Phillips' story is unusually credible and moving. She deals quite astutely with the complexities of the conflict in Northern Ireland, bringing vitality and conviction to her characters without wallowing in dogma.
The play has a healthy balance of humor and pathos. There is a rowdy drinking song, "If Not For The Ale", that includes a flurry of Irish step dancing. There are a couple of love songs, a mother's impassioned plea, confessional songs that pull at the heart strings and a satirical ditty called "The Paramilitary Dance" that lays out Northern Ireland's convoluted political situation.
quotes & reviews
"Brimstone" is that rare theatrical bird - an exciting new musical based on a compelling original story and given a first rate performance" - The Christian Science Monitor
music clips
If Not For The Ale
Ourselves Alone (Tiocfaidh Ar La)
Diatribe