‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’: Play is simple, yet complex

By STEPHANIE OTTEY

entertainment@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown State University has extended the St. Patrick’s celebration for a few weeks with “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” a heartwarming tale of Ireland. Written by Martin McDonagh, the dramatic comedy opened Thursday.

“Cripple” is set in 1934 in Inishmaan, an island off Ireland. The people there spend their days gossiping and drinking, but orphaned Cripple Billy Claven spends his time staring at cows. His aunties run a shop and worry about Billy, while he dreams of Hollywood. His goals of traveling and learning about his long-deceased parents send Billy on a roller coaster of emotion as he learns about the importance of truth.

Randall Brammer is to be applauded for his portrayal of the title character. Brammer, who has been seen in much more-lighthearted roles lately, is impressively transformed by this dramatic character. He physically captures the struggle of the crippled teenager in a sincere and believable way. With a twisted leg and staggering breath, Brammer is almost unrecognizable. His face is a constant reflection of the pain and hope that are struggling to reign supreme within Billy. Brammer appears to be more connected to this role than any he’s encountered thus far, and the result is a fantastic performance.

Nathan Beagle delivers yet another flawless performance as Johnnypateenmike, the town gossip. He balances the comedic relief of his character with some gentle and heartfelt moments that give an unexpected depth to what would otherwise be a one-note character.

Another noteworthy performance comes from Ryan Newell, who plays the simple-minded Bartley McCormick, a friend of Billy’s who also dreams of things outside Ireland. Though Newell doesn’t grasp the Irish dialect like some of his castmates, he does bring a genuine character to the stage. His performance is consistent and likable. Newell engages well with the other actors on stage, particularly Katy Mestichelli, who plays Helen, Bartley’s crass sister.

The cast also includes Rebecca Anderson, Courtney Auman, Don Connors, Brandon Smith, Kelly Sullivan and Daniel Temelkoff. With the help of dialect expert Paul Meier and student dramaturg Smith, these actors take on the challenge of the Irish lilt.

Jane Shanabarger transforms the cast of young adults into elderly ladies and gentlemen with her expert makeup and costume design. The transformations of Auman and Sullivan are particularly effective. With oversized clothing and some well-placed wrinkles, Shanabarger ages them by decades.

Director W. Rick Schilling takes on a big challenge with “Cripple.” Not only is there a dialect, but “Cripple” is a play that struggles to find an identity. Though many aspects of the story are realistic and simple, the central character doesn’t see anything simply. Schilling innovatively uses projector screens, a nod to Billy’s Hollywood dream, in an attempt to bridge this contradiction of ideas. The result is intriguing, but a stronger definition from the script toward either side would have been more poignant.

“The Cripple of Inishmaan” will be presented at 7:30 tonight and 3 p.m. Sunday; and at 7:30 p.m. April 1-3, in Spotlight Arena Theater inside Bliss Hall. Call (330) 941-3105.