“Please allow me to introduce myself How interesting is a visitation by the Devil on Christmas Eve in a cluttered house in a run-down neighborhood of North Dublin, Ireland. A tale filled with humor, sadness, fear, and much drinking—all surrounding the presence of a malevolent spirit in the guise of a genial, well-turned out visitor. This is a story grounded in the real and bordering on the supernatural. At once about relationships between men and the relationships men have with themselves, The Seafarer by Conor McPherson is such a tale, skillfully staged and beautifully acted by a company of players under the direction of Ciarán O’Reilly at The Irish Repertory Theater. Much of the first act focuses on revealing the character of three men who have known each other for many years: Sharky Harkin, Richard Harkin, and Ivan Curry. Sharky has returned to the shabby, cluttered, home of his older brother Richard to care for him after an accident earlier in the year left Richard blind. Andy Murray as Sharky and Colin McPillamy as Richard leave no doubt that these two men are brothers and that there is a substantial emotional history between them. The third man is Ivan Curry, the “eyes” for Richard even though Ivan is at a loss to see clearly without his glasses. Michael Mellamphy brings Ivan to life and as a Greek chorus helps clarify the relationship of the brothers. Sharky has hit rock bottom after years of struggle with failed jobs and heavy drinking. Now sober, for all of two days, he is trying to restore himself while preparing to deal with his brother and friends on what is ostensibly the happy occasion of a Christmas Eve gathering of which a game of poker is a central feature. As the day wears on, Richard tells Sharky that he has invited Nicky Goblin to join them for the card game. Nicky is the boyfriend of Sharky’s ex-wife and an old rival of Sharky’s. Nicky arrives with an unexpected guest, a Mr. Lockhart, a recent acquaintance of Nicky’s. Nicky tends to be a show-off and has been more successful in his life than Sharky, which adds to the tension between the two men. Nicky is played perfectly by Tim Ruddy and, for me, an inspired choice for Mr. Lockhart is Matthew Broderick. The outcome of this card game is the critical element in the story and Ivan’s missing glasses plays a central role. Richard, Ivan, and Nicky leave the house to deal with some rowdy “hooligans” leaving Mr. Lockhart and Sharky alone. Mr. Lockhart reminds Sharky of a card game the two of them had twenty-five years earlier in the confines of a jail cell after Sharky was arrested for killing a man. The stakes in that game was Sharky’s freedom or his soul. Sharky won and the deal was that Mr. Lockhart would get to play him again sometime in the future. It is at this moment that Mr. Lockhart reveals his true character to Sharky when he causes Sharky to fall to the floor in pain and says, “I’m the son of the morning, Sharky. I’m the snake in the garden. I’ve come here for your soul this Christmas… We made a deal. We played cards for your freedom and you promised me, you promised me, the chance to play you again… Because we’re gonna play for your soul and I’m gonna win and you’re coming through the old hole in the wall with me tonight.” Mr. Broderick delivers these lines with a chilling malevolence that is totally unexpected and clearly defines the character of the devil. This ensemble of actors seamlessly blends and captures all of the emotional nuances one would expect from a group of men who essentially and intimately know each other’s history. The outlier is Mr. Lockhart and he is the “straw that stirs” the drinks; Broderick plays him nearly flawlessly. He brings a quiet, subdued, non-threatening nature to the role of Mr. Lockhart. A distinct departure for how the character has been portrayed in the past. It is these qualities that make his portrayal all the more chilling since the devil is the Great Deceiver. He would be a “man of distinction” and low key only revealing his true nature to those on whom he has his eyes. Only Sharky knows his name, but interestingly, at the end, Richard suspects something is not right about Mr. Lockhart. My only quibble with Broderick’s performance is Mr. Lockhart’s emotional outburst at the end. It should have been stronger and more pronounced. The realization of the shabby interior of the house by Charlie Corcoran is perfectly executed down to the flickering light under the picture of Jesus and the glowing coal stove that drives off the chill of the December air. The costume design by Martha Hally and lighting design by Brian Nason round out the core of the production design supporting the ensemble. This production is another winner for Charlotte Moore and the Irish Repertory Theater, a remarkable theatrical company that consistently presents outstanding work.
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man's soul to waste”
“Sympathy for the Devil” by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards 1968.
