The Lieutenant Of Inishmore By Martin Mcdonagh

The theatrical genre of Black Comedy is a powerful one that combines satire and humor to talk about taboo topics or those that are uncomfortable, giving viewers a different way of looking at and discussing multi-faceted social and political issues to create a release of emotions. This example stands out in the play “The Lieutenant of Inishmore” by Martin McDonagh where even though it uses such conventions of Black Comedy as shock effects to keep the audience’s attention, it does not forget about thought-provoking humor. This kind of humor acts as a cathartic experience where we can face hard lessons on how humans behave both individually as well as within society. This method works best when scrutinising Ireland; a nation with the longest history

McDonagh uses irony to highlight the absurdity of violence and political extremism. As the scene begins, the blood-soaked living room is covered with body parts. Donny and Davey worked on the bodies lying in front of them. Their hands, slick with blood, moved in a desperate rhythm as they cut and sliced, the sound of blades against flesh echoing in the silence. Padraic’s lifeless body lay nearby, a stark reminder of the violence that had torn through their lives. When playing either Donny or Davey in this scene, the actor must act unfazed by this. The day has been so horrifying that this is not nearly the worst part of their day. They are both glad to be alive, as it is their bodies that could be cut up. And then, like a macabre joke, Wee Thomas appears. He strolls through the shattered window, his fur unruffled, his eyes bright with curiosity. He seemed unaffected by the carnage around him, as though unaware of the chaos he had just walked into. At this point the two actors must get unhinged, so mad and shocked by the situation it seems like someone is playing some sick sort of joke on them. When playing Davey you must feel all the pain and trauma he felt that day, and summon every bit of pain and frustration into his dialogue. All because that fecker was after his hole? he exclaimed, gesturing to Padraic’s body. "Four dead fellas, two dead cats... me hairstyle ruined, me sister broken-hearted, and me shoe polish gone... So all this terror has been for absolutely nothing?" The absurdity of the situation hangs heavy in the air, the irony cutting deep. All the violence and pain led to nothing. So pointless and silly was it that it was both pathetic and darkly comic, a bitter pill to swallow after such lunacy. This concept is similar to “The Troubles” in Ireland and its absurdity. The play’s theme is grounded in the wastage brought by The