Dancing at Lughnasa at Atwater Village Theatre

Dancing at Lughnasa

Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Ave Atwater Village

The beautiful, rolling hills of Ireland hold many stories and secrets. Set in the summer of 1936 during the Celtic harvest festival of Lughnasa, Brian Friel's Tony Award-winning play, loosely based on the lives of his mother and aunts, is a rich and deeply moving portrait of the everyday lives of five sisters, just as everything is on the brink of change.

Thru - Aug 31, 2019

Price: $25-$45

Show Type: Drama

Box Office: 323-644-1929

www.ensemblestudiotheatrela.org

Dancing at Lughnasa Reviews

Average Rating based on 6 reviews

Highly Recommended
Recommended
Somewhat Recommended
Not Recommended

Stage Scene LA - Highly Recommended

"...Brian Friel lovers could not ask for a finer production of his 1992 Best Play Tony winner Dancing At Lughnasa than Open Fist Theatre Company's 2019 revival. Non-devotees might find their attention wandering during its long, chitchat-filled first act, but once Friel's memory play takes fire post-intermission, the latest from Open Fist more than merits curtain-call cheers."

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- Steven Stanley

On Stage Los Angeles - Highly Recommended

"...Set in the mythical Irish town of Ballybeg, Friel poetically envelops us in the love he renders probably from his own childhood. Born in 1929, Friel wrote the play in 1990, recounting his poetic tale from a considerable distance in time. The depth and distinct personalities of his characters all ring with a gentle kindness that reminds of Martin McDonaugh's "Cripple of Inishmaan." "

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- Michael Sheehan

Stage Raw - Recommended

"...Dancing at Lughnasa captures the human need to connect. Michael treasures the too few moments he gets with his father. Father Jack yearns to return to the community he found in Africa. The sisters don't always dare admit their fancies aloud, but each has a moment when the possibility of love lends them a glow. It's a refreshingly simple play that asks its audience to contemplate their own lives, happiness, and connections."

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- Julia Stier

Theatre meets Critic - Highly Recommended

"...What I find so smart about this play depicts the men as the "interesting" and "adventurous" people, yet Brian Friel chooses to place the focus of the story on the women, who are the ones that really deserve it. Even the narrator describes guiltily as he got older how he left the nest "as men do". In some ways, Friel is making up for the men in his life by giving these women a spotlight through this play where they are not timeless and beloved. "

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- Oliver Boon

Theatre Notes - Highly Recommended

"...Under the superb direction of Barbara Schofield, this cast of seasoned pros crafts a performance that goes straight to the heart, with affecting joy and sadness. The characters are all thoroughly grounded, rounded, and nuanced, each individual character unforgettable. My favorite moment in the show is when the sisters' unpredictable wireless radio that sports the pet name, "Marconi," comes to life and the sisters start to dance. And they dance and dance. Irish dancing. And finally the stern eldest sister, Kate, joins in and dances her heart out. It is a wild, thrilling moment that goes on and on. They become Dionysian maenads."

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- Paul Myrvold

Hollywood Revealed - Highly Recommended

"...Now, god knows, the Irish are unquestionably known as a gregarious lot, and Friel's sweet play does live up to that stereotype, making the two-hour-plus run somewhat excessive. But this well-produced production, under the more-than-able hand of Barbara Schofield, allows her actors plenty of movement and timing to make the individual moments shine with excitement (the dance at home, for one, superbly choreographed by Jason Gorman) amid the overall feeling of sadness that filters through."

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- Dale Reynolds

Dancing at Lughnasa Photo Gallery

Dancing at Lughnasa at Atwater Village Theatre