Why read The Cripple of Inishmaan?

Book cover of The Cripple of Inishmaan

Book description

"Mr McDonagh is destined to be one of the theatrical luminaries of the 21st century" (The New Republic) In 1934, the people of Inishman learn that the Hollywood director Robert Flaherty is coming to the neighbouring island to film his documentary Man of Aran. No-one is more excited than Cripple…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Cripple of Inishmaan as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Will Dunne

Author

A list of play recommendations from me has to include something by Martin McDonagh who is now garnering serious attention as a filmmaker.

I chose The Cripple of Inishmaan because of its dynamic main character “Cripple” Billy Craven who yearns to escape the poverty and boredom of his life on an Aran island off the west coast of Ireland. Billy begins to envision a future for himself in Hollywood when he learns about a film shoot on a neighboring island and has to figure out a way to get over there.

I love the strange world of this play…

From Will's list on The best plays with characters who leap off the page.