The Drama Desk and Obie Award-wining Mint Theater Company today announced their first play of the 2009-2010 season, their acclaimed revival of Lennox Robinson's Is Life Worth Living? starring JorDan Baker and Kevin Kilner, would be extended for one additional week to accommodate demand, through October 18th.
Time Out NY said "This sweet and witty revival of Lennox Robinson's 1933 comedy Is Life Worth Living? again earns Jonathan Bank and the Mint Theater Company hosannas for bringing a lesser-known work to our attention. It's a smart, wry example of art irritating life." John Simon adds "Charm, most lacking in today's theater, abounds in Lennox Robinson's 1933 play, Is Life Worth Living? now joyously revived by New York's dependable Mint Theater. Jonathan Bank's deft directing and his cherishable cast render Is Life Worth Living? as the modest masterpiece it is."
Mint Artistic Director Jonathan Bank directs a cast that, in addition to Ms Baker and Mr. Kilner, includes Leah Curney, Margaret Daly, Bairbre Dowling, John Keating, Jeremy Lawrence, Erin Moon, Grant Neale, Paul O'Brien, John O'Creagh, Graham Outerbridge, and John Tillotson.
"Legit repertory troupe comes to a small village in Ireland and, after a week or so of Ibsen, Chekhov and Strindberg the town is off its nut." That's how Variety described Lennox Robinson's comedy when it played London in 1933 and that, in a nutshell, is the story of this gloriously goofy play that imagines the impact a steady diet of serious drama might have on the amiable residents of the seaside town of Inish. The fun begins when the town elders decide to improve the tone of the place. Enter Hector de la Mare and his wife Constance Constantia of the De La Mare Repertory company-committed exclusively to "psychological and introspective drama: the great plays of Russia, an Ibsen or two, a little Strindberg; because," as Hector puts it, "they may revolutionize some person's soul." Whether or not the souls of Inish require revolution is the question this comedy poses while delightfully exaggerating and celebrating the transformative power of the theater. "I suppose you would call it farce, "Robinson told The New York Times in 1933," But I'd rather not call it that because-well, you know what people think you mean when you call a play farce."
Is Life Worth Living? played on Broadway three times in the 1930's-but has not been seen in New York since.
Robinson was a key figure in the Irish theater for decades. Critic and fellow playwright St. John Ervine described him as "easily the most skilful dramatist that the Irish theatre has produced." His comedy The Whiteheaded Boy was second only to Playboy of the Western World as the most performed play in Ireland through the 1960's. The author of more than 30 plays, his style defies categorization- during his prolific career, Robinson penned comedies, tragedies, radio plays, poetry, an historical novel, and short stories.
Performances are Tuesday through Thursday at 7 PM, Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 PM & 8 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM. Tickets are $55. All performances will take place on the Third Floor of 311 West 43rd Street. To purchase tickets, or for more information, call 212/315-0231 or visit www.minttheater.org
