Freedom of the City, The

Brian Friel wrote The Freedom of the City in 1973, one year after the terrible Bloody Sunday massacre in Londonderry, in which 13 civil rights marchers were fired upon and killed by British soldiers. In his play, Friel artfully creates three unfortunate innocents: Lily (Sorcha Cusack), a mother of 11, the streetwise young Skinner (Michael Colgan), and the more serious and astute Michael (Gerald Crossan). Caught in the midst of a riot in which they did not participate, the three, unacquainted with one another, somehow make their way into the Mayor's deserted parlor, where Skinner and Lily, soon tipsy with samples from the liquor cabinet, put on the Mayor's ceremonial robes and prance around unheedingly. But real life must eventually intrude. British soldiers are gathering outside, fearing that a large band of terrorists has taken over upstairs. The ending can be guessed.

Friel mixes various elements: still photos of civil rights demonstrations, clashes with marchers and police; professional observers, including a sociologist, priest, judge, and others, occasionally commenting from the sidelines.

Freedom is not as fluid and fluent as some of Friel's later works, but it has its vivid theatrical moments, as befits a soon-to-be master of the playwright's craft. The play also presents a reasoned picture of how ordinarily logical people can too easily change into unthinking bigots. Good production values and direction, with fine performances by the trio.