John Millington Synge

The Playboy of the Western World

Northern Theatre Harag György Company

The era of great deeds has gone by, heroes have left this world forever. At least that's what Pegeen Mike, the only worthwhile maiden of Irish village Mayo is pretty convinced about. And let's face it, the village indeed lacks victorious heroes, poor Peegen is justly displeased. If we look around, all we see is  happy, but permanently drunk villagers, easy girls and cowardly kids preparing for First Communion. There's nobody who has something really great to show, nobody that would deserve undivided admiration.
But all comminities need at least one role model, somebody who deserves to have their grand story go down in epics, their great deeds be told in legends. And what ever has this little village done wrong to not have any such men? They would deserve a champion, too, wouldn't they? Even if he is not as witty as  Väinämöinen, not as strong as Toldi, never killed a dragon like St. George, but he still should have something to show! Something, anything, something else, unusual stuff, stuff that nobody else would do.. For example, he could kill his father. It is a brave deed, nobody can deny it, what's more, it is a mythological deed: Oedipus has killed his father, too. There are other examples of heroes that had started their “carrier” with such a dark, yet necessary deed. But will it be enough for Christy Mahon to be celebrated as a hero as he arrives to Mayo? Is it a great enough deed for him to be named Playboy of the Western World?