The Dead, 1904: A Review of the Irish Repertory Theatre's Production by Paul Muldoon and Jean Hanff Korelitz (review)

One could be forgiven for thinking all of Irish, and indeed, almost all of world literature had been produced merely as … a prelude or preliminary piece, to the work of the greatest of all Irish writers, James Joyce. … [A] powerful combination of intimacy with, and enmity towards, his subject matter [is] the one stunningly simple quality that makes "The Dead" so stunningly complex.

Paul Muldoon, To Ireland, I¹

Lily, the caretaker's daughter, greeted almost fifty guests—"You must be one of Mary Jane's students!"—as they climbed the steps up to the large front door of the American Irish Historical Society's five-story 1901 beaux-arts Victorian townhouse, directly across the street from the Metropolitan Museum of Art; it was one of the coldest nights of the pre-holiday season in New York. Thus began an extraordinarily intimate, immersive dinner-theater experience that played from 7 December 2016 through 7 January 2017 and propelled Joyce's iconic story of "The Dead" to new heights (or, perhaps, depths, pun intended)—and yes, throughout the evening, Lily was, as she declared, "literally run off [my] feet!" (D 175).

Among the stars of this impressive presentation by the Irish Repertory Theatre was surely its setting. Much grander than that "dark, gaunt house [#15] on Usher's Island" (D 176), 991 Fifth Avenue—with its first-level reception hall, second-floor central gathering area and front dining room, and third-floor bedroom, all connected by broad staircases—was an ideal accommodation for "always a great affair, the Misses Morkan's annual dance" (D 175).

As Lily helped guests off with their overcoats, the "cold fragrant air from out-of-doors escaped from crevices and folds" (D 177). The attendees were then swiftly ushered upstairs to the second floor, where they were immediately equipped with liqueur glasses filled with Writer's Tears (Irish whiskey), the better to take away the night's chill. Thomas Moore's melodies were being played on a piano by one of the cast members, Mary Jane (Barrie Kreinik). While waiting for the show to begin, one could sit on a side chair for a brief chat with Mr. Browne (Peter Cormican), dressed appropriately in a three-piece brown tweed suit; sipping a "goodly measure of whiskey," he "purs[ed] his lips until his moustache bristled and smil[ed] in all his wrinkles" (D 183, 182).

The show began in earnest as Gretta (Kate Burton, Richard's daughter) and Gabriel (Boyd Gaines) came up the stairs. Gretta wore a full-length green dress with a bustle at back, and Gabriel had on a navy widestripe suit; all the costumes in this play were superb. Quickly, Gabriel launched into his talk with Lily (Clare O'Malley), ending with "Christmas-time!" (D 178). While Gabriel's conversation with the caretaker's daughter was fairly faithful to Joyce's text, a portion of the play's ensuing dialogue, and some of its specific staging, diverged from the written story. Thanks, however, to the play's skilled adapters, Paul Muldoon and Jean Hanff Korelitz, the changes made were wholly apt and beautifully augmented "The Dead," much in unison with Joyce's intent, as will be shown.

Near the beginning of the story, for instance, before their discussion about "goloshes," Gabriel recalls how "Gretta caught a dreadful cold" the prior year during their cab ride back to Monkstown, and how "she'd walk home in the snow if she were let" (D 180). In the text, Gretta just laughs off Gabriel's remark, merely telling Aunt Kate (Patricia Kilgarrif) "Don't mind him. … He's really an awful bother" (D 180). In this play, though, Gretta responds directly to Gabriel, declaring "You sound like something out of a penny dreadful!" It is a clever touch, playing on Gabriel's prior reference...