The Home Place

"The Home Place" is a play written by Brian Friel and first premiered at The Gate Theatre (Dublin, Ireland) on 1 February 2005. After a sold-out season at the Gate it transferred to London's West End (London, England) on 25 May 2005, making its American premiere at the Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis, MN) in September 2007.

ummary

The play is set in the summer of 1878 in the mythical village of Ballybeg, County Donegal, at the house ("The Lodge") of Christopher Gore, his son David, and their housekeeper Margaret. Christopher is a widowed land-owner from England ("the home place" of Kent). Both he and his son David are in love with Margaret. Two guests are staying at The Lodge, Dr Richard Gore, Christopher's cousin, and Dr Gore's assistant, Perkins. Dr Gore is an anthropologist and is traveling throughout Ireland recording the physical characteristics of the locals.

Dr Gore's methods and racist hypotheses ignite animosity in the town, where a despised English landlord, Lord Lifford, was recently murdered. Christopher is caught in the middle between his cousin and his allegiance to the locals. The play runs the course of a single day in Ballybeg and centers on the resurgence of the Home rule movement in Ireland.

Characters

* Christopher Gore - Owner of The Lodge and a landlord in Ballybeg.
* David Gore - Son of Christopher.
* Dr Richard Gore - Cousin of Christopher Gore, Anthropologist.
* Perkins - Assistant to Dr Gore.
* Lord Lifford - Local landlord, recently killed.
* Margaret O'Donnell - Head housekeeper at The Lodge.
* Clement O'Donnell - Father of Margaret, local schoolmaster and choir leader.
* Sally Cavanagh - housekeeper at The Lodge
* Con Doherty - local voice/leader of disapproval of Dr Gore's work
* Johnny MacLoone - local, strongman for Con
* Tommy Boyle - young local
* Maisie McLaughlin - young local
* Mary Sweeny - young local

References

* http://www.thisistheatre.com/londonshows/homeplace.html - This is Theatre
* http://www.curtainup.com/homeplace.html - Curtain Up Theater Magazine
* http://www.irishplayography.com/search/script.asp?play_ID=1727 - Irish Playography