Literature Network » J. M. Synge

`Playboy' proves a story is all in the telling

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From: Chicago Sun-Times
Date: 19880513
Author:Joe Pixler

Everyone loves a good story. Irish or West Indian, British or American, a man is judged to be as good as his words.

In 1907, J. M. Synge wrote "Playboy of the Western World," a comedy about a young fugitive who finds respect in rustic County Mayo when he tells strangers he killed his "wicked, wicked" father. The killer's heroic exploit excites the sleepy locals, bringing them to life. Synge's show became an Irish classic.

In 1982, Mustapha Matura came up with "Playboy of the West Indies," a faithful retelling of Synge's tale set in a fishing village on Matura's home isle of Trinidad. ...

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