Almost 120 years after J.M. Synge’s blistering masterpiece The Playboy of the Western World shocked audiences, Inis Nua—Philadelphia’s home for contemporary Irish plays—opens our 21st season with a bold adaptation by Nigerian playwright Bisi Adigun and Irish writing icon Roddy Doyle (The Commitments, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha). Set in modern Dublin, we reimagine Synge’s young rascal-hero Christy Mahon as Nigerian refugee Christopher Malomo, who arrives at a run-down pub with a wild tale he hopes will save his life. Christopher’s hilarious–and ultimately dangerous–encounters with colorful Dubliners showcase the power of Synge’s classic through a razor-sharp modern lens.
“A hugely entertaining, often laugh-out-loud funny…superb piece of theatre.” - The Irish Times"