But it's not really all that troublesome, since the ride to get there is so satisfying. Proof is beautifully written, celebrating ideas and language without being too showy about either. We soon see she has depth and insights others have failed to appreciate. The cumulative effect of this portrait is a character who seeks to be opaque, but whose depth and complexity shine through. It's as fine an acting performance as I've seen onstage in a long time.
Plays also come to New York from elsewhere.
The production was mounted by Seattle's A Contemporary Theatre. His works are permeated with a dark, brooding Irish cynicism, verbal wit and physical comedy, plus a strong undertow of violence. McDonagh has pushed this latter quality to levels that often make audiences squeamish. Tony Roberts and Linda Lavin in The Tale of the Allergist's Wife Skull feels a bit gentler. This year it's time to deal with the section of the cemetery where Mick's wife is buried.