THE STORY: Three points of view about a poignant drama are related by three characters addressing the audience directly. First there is Molly, blind since early infancy, who describes her world before and after an operation to restore some of her sight. Her husband, Frank, who pushed Molly into this operation, relates his view of his wife’s journey into sightedness and his dealings with her doctor. Molly’s once-famous eye surgeon, Mr. Rice, watches both Molly and Frank and reveals his opinion of them along with his own fears in handling the operation. Through it all we see each character’s painful and happy histories, their memories and the events that led them to meet. Their stories interweave on stage, threading in and around each other’s lives, until the unexpected and touching conclusion to this striking tale.
“Brian Friel has been recognized as Ireland’s greatest living playwright…his latest work, MOLLY SWEENEY…confirms that Mr. Friel still writes like a dream.” —The New York Times.
“Brian Friel’s beautiful and dazzling MOLLY SWEENEY…is one of those marvelous onion plays…As you peel away each plump and juicy layer, another layer emerges underneath, and yet another…What a marvelous play this is! See it—wander in it and wonder at it.” —New York Post.
“Dispassionate eloquence and psychological honesty…Brian Friel’s writing has such vitality and warmth, such kindly accuracy of observation.” —The Times (London).
