'Dancing at Lughnasa': If 'Little Women' was Irish

Tara Awate, The Daily Cardinal

“Dancing at Lughnasa,” set in a rapidly changing time, is nostalgic and tugs at the heartstrings. At an outdoor theater surrounded by woods, presented by the American Players Theatre in Spring Green, strong performances led the night.

“Dancing at Lughnasa” is a memory play — the story is narrated by leading man Michael Mundy’s memory. The adult Michael reflects on the summer of 1936, as a child being raised by five unmarried sisters: Rose, Agnes, Maggie, Chris and Kate, while living in the fictional town of Ballybeg, Ireland.

The plot and themes of “Dancing at Lughnasa” are reminiscent of “Little Women" but with an unspoken growing tension amid the sisters waiting for an ugly release. Apart from a few instances, most of the show takes place inside the house and kitchen, emphasizing the very domestic existence and worries of these women.

For instance, all of the sisters are excited upon getting a new radio for their house. It became their only reason to abandon their household chores for a while and dance to the music on it.

But more than the content of the story itself, it's the delivery by the actors that makes the story moving.

Continue Reading Review Here