Plays Two:
Dancing at Lughnasa
Fathers and Sons
Making History
Wonderful Tennessee
Molly Sweeney
Introduced by Christopher Murray, this second collection of Brian Friel's plays includes some of his most acclaimed work for the stage.
From the troubled family life of five sisters in 1930s Donegal that is the core of Dancing at Lughnasa (now a major motion picture starring Meryl Streep) to the current-day birthday celebration that is the major external event of Wonderful Tennessee, Brian Friel demonstrates his emotional range and empathy for his characters. He evokes not simply the interior landscape of human beings trapped in their domestic situation but the wider landscape-interior and exterior-of which they are a part.
Industry Reviews
"Dancing at Lughnasa""The play, brilliantly constructed, is the best Friel has yet written."--"Observer" "Fathers and Sons" (after Turgenev)"A delicately written play that subtly alters the emphasis of Turgenev's book in the light of modern experience."--"Guardian""Making History""This is Friel's most accomplished and important play since "Translations..."It has the same suppleness of argument and beauty of writing."--"Financial Times""Wonderful Tennessee""Friel is a master...The play is a brilliantly notated fugue of laughter and lament."--"New Yorker""Molly Sweeney""A dramatic poem of cumulative power and irresistible poignancy."--"Observer""Of all the contemporary authors, there is no one I admire more highly than Brian Friel..."Molly Sweeney "is magnificent, and I read it with great joy."--Peter Brook"Once again, Friel has achieved a masterpiece."--"Independent on Sunday" "Dancing at Lughnasa" "Fathers and Sons" (after Turgenev) "Making History" "Wonderful Tennessee" "Molly Sweeney" "The play, brilliantly constructed, is the best Friel has yet written." --Observer on Dancing at Lughnasa
"A delicately written play that subtly alters the emphasis of Turgenev's book in the light of modern experience." --Guardian on Fathers and Sons (after Turgenev)
"This is Friel's most accomplished and important play since Translations...It has the same suppleness of argument and beauty of writing." --Financial Times on Making History
"Friel is a master...The play is a brilliantly notated fugue of laughter and lament." --New Yorker on Wonderful Tennessee
"A dramatic poem of cumulative power and irresistible poignancy." --Observer on Molly Sweeney
"Of all the contemporary authors, there is no one I admire more highly than Brian Friel...Molly Sweeney is magnificent, and I read it with great joy." --Peter Brook on Molly Sweeney
"Once again, Friel has achieved a masterpiece." --Independent on Sunday on Molly Sweeney The play, brilliantly constructed, is the best Friel has yet written. "Observer on Dancing at Lughnasa"
A delicately written play that subtly alters the emphasis of Turgenev's book in the light of modern experience. "Guardian on Fathers and Sons (after Turgenev)"
This is Friel's most accomplished and important play since "Translations..."It has the same suppleness of argument and beauty of writing. "Financial Times on Making History"
Friel is a master...The play is a brilliantly notated fugue of laughter and lament. "New Yorker on Wonderful Tennessee"
A dramatic poem of cumulative power and irresistible poignancy. "Observer on Molly Sweeney"
Of all the contemporary authors, there is no one I admire more highly than Brian Friel..."Molly Sweeney "is magnificent, and I read it with great joy. "Peter Brook on Molly Sweeney"
Once again, Friel has achieved a masterpiece. "Independent on Sunday on Molly Sweeney"" "Dancing at Lughnasa"
"The play, brilliantly constructed, is the best Friel has yet written."--"Observer"
"Fathers and Sons" (after Turgenev)
"A delicately written play that subtly alters the emphasis of Turgenev's book in the light of modern experience."--"Guardian"
"Making History"
"This is Friel's most accomplished and important play since "Translations..."It has the same suppleness of argument and beauty of writing."--"Financial Times"
"Wonderful Tennessee"
"Friel is a master...The play is a brilliantly notated fugue of laughter and lament."--"New Yorker"
"Molly Sweeney"
"A dramatic poem of cumulative power and irresistible poignancy."--"Observer"
"Of all the contemporary authors, there is no one I admire more highly than Brian Friel..."Molly Sweeney "is magnificent, and I read it with great joy."--Peter Brook
"Once again, Friel has achieved a masterpiece."--"Independent on Sunday"
