CHARLES MICHAEL HOWARD, Matt Power and Nicholas Schroder are the hostages in “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me,” playing at AIRE Theater.
AIRE Theater is opening the 2013-14 season with a production of “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me”, a touching and funny play by Irish playwright Frank McGuinness that explores the relationship among three strangers: an Irish journalist an American doctor, and a British professor who are being held hostage in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War in the 1980s.
Given the continuing strife in the Middle East, the play remains as relevant and resonant today as it was when it received a Tony Award nomination for Best Play in 1993.
Hailed by the critics as “a beautiful play” and “moving and absorbing,” the show runs Oct. 3-19 at Portland Stage Company, 25A Forest Ave.
Inspired by the experiences of Irish journalist and hostage Brian Keenan, the film focuses on the captives’ struggle to maintain their dignity and sanity under grueling circumstances.
Using life-affirming humor to keep up their spirits, the men show courage and resilience as they deal with their fear and work through personal and political differences to offer each other respect and support.
Their bond deepens as they share jokes, songs and fantasies, write letters they’d like to send home, and re-enact a famous tennis match.
By the end of the play, each of the captives has gained the strength he needs to embrace his fate.
AIRE’s production is directed by Daniel Burson, who has directed numerous plays for AIRE as well as for Portland Stage Company; and features Charles Michael Howard, Matt Power and Nicholas Schroder as the hostages.
“Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” will be performed through October 19, Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday, October 6 and 13, at 2 p.m. To enhance the audience’s understanding of the play, AIRE — American Irish Repertory Ensemble) — will offer two special events:
— Tonight, Friday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m., there will be a pre-show talk on the Middle East by Reza Jalali, coordinator of multicultural student affairs at USM
— Sunday, Oct. 6, Bob Lyons, Irish literature instructor at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, will lead a talk-back with the director and members of the cast after the matineé.
Tickets are $20 general admission,
$18 for seniors and students and $15 for everyone on Thursdays.
For information and reservations, call 799-5327 or go to www.airetheater.com .
‘Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me’
WHAT: drama
WHEN: through Oct. 19
WHERE: Portland Stage Company, 25 A Forest Ave., Portland
INFO: 799-5327 or
www.airetheater.com
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