The runaway hit of this year’s Galway Arts Festival, Misterman, starring Cillian Murphy, opened last Sunday night in New York to standing ovations and rave reviews.
The play, written by Enda Walsh and produced by the Galway Arts Festival and Landmark Productions, is currently being performed in St Ann’s Warehouse, one of New York’s leading off-Broadway theatres.
Among the many positive reactions the show has received is a glowing review from The New York Times chief theatre critic Ben Brantley, who described Misterman as “gripping”.
He praised Enda Walsh as “one of the most fiercely individual voices in the theatre today” and he was full of admiration for the performance of Cillian Murphy.
“Though he is known for playing extreme characters on screen (including the villainous Scarecrow in Batman Begins and the transgender teenager in Breakfast on Pluto, none of those performances anticipate the dizzying breadth and concentration of this one,” Mr Brantley said. “The blaze of Mr Murphy’s gaze is so compelling, you have to look twice to make sure that the Holy Ghost itself - or its infernal equivalent - hasn’t made a sudden guest appearance.”
Galway Arts Festival’s artistic director and producer of Misterman Paul Fahy said he was “delighted for Cillian and Enda and all our Misterman company” that the show has been so well received.
“Cillian just keeps getting better and better and his performances this week have been phenomenal,” said Mr Fahy. “There has been a terrific buzz around the city all week with great excitement about Misterman and Cillian’s New York debut and it is great to see the show have such an amazing reaction here.”
Mr Fahy also pointed out that with the musical Once opening in New York later this week and Penelope opening at Steppenwolf in Chicago at the weekend, “Enda is taking America by storm! We are thrilled for him.”
Misterman has also enjoyed some high profile attendees at Sunday’s opening, including actress Frances McDormand and her husband, writer and director Joel Coen, Susan Sarandon, Sigourney Weaver, and Debbie Harry. Also in attendance were Enda Walsh’s wife Jo Ellison and Cillian’s Murphy’s parents Brendan and Mary Murphy and his wife, Yvonne McGuinness.
Misterman continues at St Ann’s Warehouse until December 21.
