Historical Period
The Irish culture has revolved around story telling and folklore for hundreds of years and this tradition has been very active in the pubs across the country. McPherson uses this tradition sensationally in The Weir to capture the essence of traditional Irish culture. The pub is an important part of Irish society because it is not only a place to drink, it is also where patrons come together to tell stories and discuss a limitless range of topics. Folklore and story telling has began to decline in present-day Ireland as a result of technological advances and a lack of enthusiasm for tradition. McPherson is able to successfully pay homage to what is seen as the epitome of Irish culture; which is story telling in a rural pub.
The modern Irish theatre traces its beginnings back to William Yeats, Lady Augusta Gregory and Edward Martyn in the late 19th century. Their style concentrated on Irish folklore and tradition including plays about family life and social issues. This theme has been kept for the most part to the present day even with the addition of numerous theatre companies since Yeats and Gregory’s Abbey Theatre. One issue that has been seen in modern Irish theatre is the lack of plays in the Abbey theatre by female playwrights, which has caused some discontent especially in the 1990s. Regardless, Irish drama and playwriting has continued to flourish while keeping in touch with its roots in its national culture. Audiences continue to be amazed and captivated in Ireland and around the world
Production History
The Weir was written by Conor McPherson in 1997, and was first performed at The Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in London on July 4, 1997. It was also performed on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre from April 1 through November 28, 1999. Other performances include Dublin in 2008, Belfast in 2004, and most recently Washington D.C. in 2011. The play has received much praise and was voted number 40 in a poll by the Royal National Theatre, London, of the most significant plays of the 20th century. It also won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play in 1997.
Characters
Jim: man in his forties who works with Jack at his mechanics shop. He enters the play having just driven around his elderly mother. We can see the softer side of this man through his actions toward others.
Jack: Older gentleman, in his fifties, who owns a local mechanics shop. He is familiar with the town, the bar, and the people. He is single and has an addiction to cigarettes. . . and sometimes booze. Because he knows the town well, he knows the gossip. He is a bit wary of Finbar giving the town's newest resident, Valerie, a tour of her new home. He doesn't think it appropriate that a married man carry out such a task when Jack, as well as others in the play, are single and willing.
Brendan: Young bar owner in his thirties that also owns the land surrounding his establishment. He rents, for lack of a better word, his surrounding land to tourists during tourist season. He is kind and very willing to do whatever it takes to make others happy. For example, he insists on going to his own home to retrieve a bottle of white wine for Valerie because he doesn't have any in the bar. A sweet, young gentlemen that seems to have a good head on his shoulders.
Finbar: A man in his late forties, Finbar is boisterous and somewhat cocky. He enjoys flaunting the things he does, escorting Valerie around the town for example, and owns a local hotel. He is married and seems to still have an immature heir about him. He enjoys the company of the other characters but he and Jack like to lovingly take hits at each other. These subtle insults and jokes give us a better understanding of how different Finbar is from the rest. He has material things and the others make do with what they have.
Valeria: New to the town and excited about all of the possibilities it has to offer. She is currently renting a place to live from Finbar. She is young, beautiful, and has a brave spirit. . . something that is seen in her desire to hear more ghost stories from the men. She has recently lost her young daughter who drowned one year earlier. She tells this story after we hear about the ghosts that plague the town.
Works Cited
Headrick, Charlotte. "Ireland: between history and memory." evergreens.edu. Thomson Gale, 2004. Web. 3 May 2011.
Blackwell, Amy, and Ryan Hackney. "Ireland's Rich Folklore Heritage." netplaces. The New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 3 May 2011.
"The Weir." Internet Broadway Database. N.p., 2010. Web. 3 May 2011.
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