May 19, 2006 - June 17, 2006
by Martin McDonagh
directed by Scott Yarbrough
Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center - 5340 N Interstate Ave, Portland, OR 97217
Third Rail’s third production moves from the absurd/global to the naturalistic/domestic – but don’t count on things being any more peaceful as a result. With Sam Shepard’s True West, Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple and J.M. Synge’s Playboy of the Western World as points of reference, The Lonesome West is a surprising and very funny look at the darker side of family.
Reviews
The professional super-company, Third Rail Repertory, presents this madness. Its small, stellar pool of actors always seems perfectly cast, despite playing wildly different characters every time…Watching this wonderful production of his wonderful play is like slipping into a hot bubble bath. The pain eases, the muscles relax, and a notion floats into the mind on a cloud of blissful relief: ‘Yes. It can be done in Portland. It really can.’
Portland Mercury
McDonagh’s masterly story invites you to come on in, take a cozy chair in between obstinacy and outright stupidity, and enjoy your stay…Director Scott Yarbrough’s small cast is superb…One of the most entertaining plays in Portland this season.
Portland Tribune
Third Rail nails the rhythm of Martin McDonagh’s dark Irish comedy The Lonesome West…The first local production that’s caught the deadpan transgressiveness and hard-slamming beat of McDonagh’s taboo-busting comic style.
The Oregonian
Director Scott Yarbrough has chosen Third Rail’s first comedy well. The Lonesome West is about as ambitious as comedies come…It’s a brilliant show.
Willamette Week
