“The Cripple of Inishmaan”

     There’s quite an array of characters in “The Cripple of Inishmaan;” most have some type of absurd, undesirable personality trait.  This caused me to dislike most of Act One.  I didn’t dislike the Act because of the acting, which I thought was good, but I disliked it because I just didn’t really like any of the characters that much.  The “aunties” had their likeable moments, as did Babbybobby, Cripple Billy, and Bartley, but as a whole, none of them appealed to me. I know this shouldn’t be the basis of my judgement on a play, but it was during the first Act.
     My opinions changed during Act Two.  The personalities of all the characters seemed to round out; however, some characters such as Babbybobby and Cripple Billy showed darker sides that made them somewhat less appealing.  I began to realize that each character had a depth that I didn’t originally detect.  It seemed as if the whole town of Inishmaan had some sort of disability, not physical afflictions, as Billy’s, but disabilities that had just as much impact on their lives.  The irony of their treatment of each other was very humorous, but also sad.
    Towards the end of the play I found myself liking all of the characters and understanding their various roles in the production’s message.  Their sparse dwellings and naivete towards the rest of the world, coupled with their complex personalities made the play interesting.  Though the play ended on a somewhat low note, with the eminent death of Cripple Billy, and the irony of the “aunties” having Cripple Billy “back for good,” it still ended with a small ray of hope for Billy’s remaining time in Inishmaan.  It may have even ended with enough hope to make Billy find his life worthwhile.