The Irish Repertory Theater (132 West 22nd Street) will present CONFESSIONS OF AN IRISH PUBLICAN, with Des Keogh in the W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre beginning November 5, 2008 until November 30, 2008.
For the third time,
Des Keogh is appearing in a show based on the writings of
John B. Keane at The Irish Repertory Theatre. The first was "The Matchmaker", in which Des starred with Tony Award-winning actress
Anna Manahan. Then came the acclaimed one-man show, "The Love Hungry Farmer" in 2003, which has since been touring the world and won for Des a Best Actor Award at The Edinburgh Festival. Now comes "Confessions of An Irish Publican", another collaboration between Des and The Irish Rep's Artistic Director
Charlotte Moore.
This latest adaptation from the "Celebrated Letters of
John B. Keane" has all the hallmarks of Ireland's late great playwright and humorist. Martin MacMeer is the Publican, the proprietor of the tavern known as Journey's End in the village of Knockanee, in the county of Kerry. Martin is a confirmed bachelor but his status is threatened by two females; one an 18 year old schoolgirl and the other an older woman of the world. He tells of their impact on his life in his "Confessions".
At the same time, Martin introduces to us a number of his colorful customers who are in the habit of unburdening themselves to him. Not a customer but a colorful personality nonetheless is the local parish priest ,who treats us to some thought-provoking sermons throughout the evening and the Reverend Mother of the local convent is not short of sharing some words of wisdom.
All in all, this is an evening of Irish wit and wisdom from the pen of one of Ireland's great humorous writers.
Charlotte Moore's most recent directing assignments were Gaslight, Meet Me in St. Louis, Mrs. Warren's Profession and Mr. Dooley's America. Other directing credits include: Finian's Rainbow at
JoAnne Woodward's Westport Country Playhouse, She Stoops to Conquer,
Samuel Beckett's Endgame, the adaptation and direction of Finian's Rainbow,
Dion Boucicault's The Colleen Bawn, J. Harley Manners' Peg O' My Heart, J.M. Synge's Playboy of the Western World and
Dion Boucicault's
The Streets of New York, which she adapted and scored. New York stage appearances include Major Barbara, A Perfect Ganesh, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Perfect Party, Morning's at Seven, Private Lives, Love for Love, Holiday, Chemin de Fer, The Great God Brown, A Lovely Sunday for
Creve Coeur, and many performances with the New York Shakespeare Festival, with directors who include
Harold Prince,
Tony Walton,
John Tillinger,
Vivian Matalon,
Paul Weidner,
Brian Murray,
Michael Montel,
Edward Berkeley,
Arvin Brown,
Louis Burke,Steven Porter, and
Ellis Rabb. She has received two Tony Award nominations, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Drama Desk Award, and the Irish America Top 100 Irish Award. Ms. Moore has directed forty-seven Irish Repertory Theatre productions and all 19 Gala Benefits.
Des Keogh has been with all the major Irish theatre companies, including the Abbey , the Gate and Druid. He has also played at England's
National Theatre and the Royal Court in London. As a member of American Equity, Des has been in many plays in the U.S.A.. These include The Plough and the Stars (Fluther with The Irish Rep. and Uncle Peter with the O'Casey Theatre Company), Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa and Bernard Farell's Forty-Four Sycamore (Asolo, FL) and Frank McGuiness's Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (Portland, OR). He has also been in the American plays The Gravity of Honey by Bruce Rodgers and Old
Wicked Songs by Jon Maran. English plays in the US. Include The Best of Friends (Olney, MD) and The Spider's Web (summer tour). Des has appeared in concert at
Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall. He has also toured to Australia and the West Indies. On your next visit to Dublin, have a look at the sidewalk in front of the Gaiety Theatre where Des's handprints are embedded beside those of no less a personage than
Luciano Pavarotti!
CONFESSIONS OF AN IRISH PUBLICAN will be performed in the
W. Scott McLucas Theatre and runs concurrently with THE MASTER BUILDER performing on The Irish Repertory Theatre's Main Stage.
Performances of CONFESSIONS OF AN IRISH PUBLICAN are Wednesday – Saturday at 8 PM. Matinees are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 3 PM.
Tickets are $40 and can be purchased by calling The Irish Repertory Theatre Box Office at (212) 727-2737. For more information call (212) 727-2737 visit
www.irishrep.org.
