Recommend
The Irish and How They Got That Way by Porchlight Theatre Company at Ruth Page Center is an entertaining but arguably superficial look at Irish History particularly as it pertains to Irish American Heritage.
The production is essentially a review or series of Irish songs strung together with a narrative by Frank McCourt author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book Angela’s Ashes.
It features about 35 songs or song segments very well performed by Emily Goldberg, Michael Mahler, Leah Morrow and Luke Nowakowski. Music Direction and Additional Musical Arrangements are by David Fiorello and Original Musical Arrangements are by Rusty Magee with Elleon Dobias (Musician).
Director David Giorlmo keeps the story moving and the overall theme upbeat and fast paced. A simple set design features a backdrop of three cloth sails with projected historical and evocative images assembled by digital designer G. Max Maxin.
McCourt’s style is to take a somewhat comical view of tragedy which he does here in his history of the Irish people. It includes their mistreatment by the British, the infamous potato famine and their less than welcoming arrival in America including job notices stating Irish Need Not Apply. It also does not shy away from the stereotypic love for drink that incidentally had a devastating effect on his own family.
The production takes time to celebrate the contribution of The Irish to the building of America, specifically as it pertained to mining and railroad work. The narrator suggests that, “You need only trace your finger across a map of the railroads in America to find the graves of thousands of Irishmen.” These contributions led to the Irish participation in trade unions and politics.
The production also pays tribute to those of Irish decent who served in the military beginning with their participation in the Revolutionary War, the American Civil War on both sides as well as WWI and WWII not only as soldiers but in spirit such as George M. Cohan who gave us songs like You’re a Grand Old Flag, Yankee Doodle Dandy and Over There.
In light of current immigration issues, it is easy for descendants of such earlier immigrants as the Irish, Italians, and Poles to forget or be ignorant that their forebearers not that long ago, were subject to the same racial slurs and vitriol that newer immigrant groups now face.
Publications like Harper’s Weekly and Punch portrayed Irish immigrants with exaggerated, animalistic features equating them to various apes including gorillas implying that Irish people were biologically inferior and prone to violence.
Signs and editorials described Irish workers as “invaders” who would “steal jobs.” Newspapers and labor groups sometimes framed Irish immigration as a threat to American labor “flooding the market” and “undercutting wages.” This rhetoric helped fuel riots and mob violence in cities like Philadelphia and New York.
Some newspapers suggested that The Irish were, “pouring into our cities to steal elections” warning that Irish voters would “corrupt the ballot box.”
Holding up a mirror to reflect on our history, our accomplishments and our humanity, sometimes ugly but always real, is partly the job of theater.
On one level, the production is a joyous expression of the Irish people through song but it is also a reminder of pain and struggle with a wink and a nod because Frank McCourt wants us to see the absurdity of life and the humor in being human.
You’ll probably love this if you’re of Irish heritage because of the familiarity of the songs and background message. If you’re a few generations removed or have no Irish heritage you will likely find some insight into this segment of America that makes up about 10% of the overall population.
The Irish and How They Got That Way by Porchlight Theatre Company is at Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Runtime about 110 minutes with one intermission. Tickets are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight box office at 773.777.9884.
Reviewer Reno Lovison
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