Molly Sweeney
Encyclopedia
Molly Sweeney is a two-act play by Brian Friel
. It tells the story of its title character, Molly, a woman blind since infancy, who undergoes an operation to try to restore her sight. Like Friel's Faith Healer
, the play tells Molly's story through monologues by three characters, in this case Molly, her husband Frank, and her surgeon, Mr. Rice.
, Dublin. It was directed by Friel and featured Catherine Byrne as Molly, Mark Lambert
as Frank Sweeney, and T.P. McKenna as Mr. Rice.
It received its American premiere in 1996 in an Off Broadway production at the Roundabout Theatre. Catherine Byrne again starred as Molly, Alfred Molina
played her husband Frank, and Jason Robards
played Mr. Rice. It won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play of the 1996 season.
The play was in large part inspired by the essay by neurologist Oliver Sacks
, "To See and Not See," published in An Anthropologist on Mars
.
Brian Friel
Brian Friel is an Irish dramatist, author and director of the Field Day Theatre Company. He is considered to be the greatest living English-language dramatist, hailed by the English-speaking world as an "Irish Chekhov" and "the universally accented voice of Ireland"...
. It tells the story of its title character, Molly, a woman blind since infancy, who undergoes an operation to try to restore her sight. Like Friel's Faith Healer
Faith Healer
Faith Healer is a play by Brian Friel about the life of faith healer Francis Hardy as monologued through the shifting memories of Hardy, his wife, Grace, and stage manager, Teddy.-Synopsis:...
, the play tells Molly's story through monologues by three characters, in this case Molly, her husband Frank, and her surgeon, Mr. Rice.
Production history
Molly Sweeney received its first performance on August 9, 1994 at the Gate TheatreGate Theatre
The Gate Theatre, in Dublin, was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál Mac Liammóir, initially using the Abbey Theatre's Peacock studio theatre space to stage important works by European and American dramatists...
, Dublin. It was directed by Friel and featured Catherine Byrne as Molly, Mark Lambert
Mark Lambert (actor)
Mark Lambert is an American film, television and theatre actor; he is also a singer.-Early life:He was born Mark Luebke and grew up in San Jose, California, where he graduated from Oak Grove High School in 1970.-Career:...
as Frank Sweeney, and T.P. McKenna as Mr. Rice.
It received its American premiere in 1996 in an Off Broadway production at the Roundabout Theatre. Catherine Byrne again starred as Molly, Alfred Molina
Alfred Molina
Alfred Molina is a British-born American actor. He first came to public attention in the UK for his supporting role in the 1987 film Prick Up Your Ears...
played her husband Frank, and Jason Robards
Jason Robards
Jason Nelson Robards, Jr. was an American actor on stage, and in film and television, and a winner of the Tony Award , two Academy Awards and the Emmy Award...
played Mr. Rice. It won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play of the 1996 season.
The play was in large part inspired by the essay by neurologist Oliver Sacks
Oliver Sacks
Oliver Wolf Sacks, CBE , is a British neurologist and psychologist residing in New York City. He is a professor of neurology and psychiatry at Columbia University, where he also holds the position of Columbia Artist...
, "To See and Not See," published in An Anthropologist on Mars
An Anthropologist on Mars
An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales is a 1995 book by neurologist Oliver Sacks consisting of seven medical case histories of individuals with neurological conditions such as autism and Tourette syndrome...
.