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The Beauty Queen Of Leenane

Series: Modern Classics
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( 3,598 ratings, 278 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Set in the rugged mountains of Connemara, County Galway, The Beauty Queen of Leenane follows Maureen Folan, a lonely woman in her early forties, and her manipulative ageing mother, Mag. Their darkly comic and gothic tale revolves around Mag’s interference in Maureen’s first and possibly last loving relationship, sparking a series of events both horrific and darkly funny.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers who appreciate dark comedy, Irish culture, and incisive contemporary drama with gothic undertones.

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The Beauty Queen of Leenane tells the darkly comic tale of Maureen Folan, a plain and lonely woman in her early forties, and Mag her manipulative ageing mother whose interference in Maureen's first and potentially last loving relationship sets in motion a train of events that is as gothically funny as it is horrific.

Set in County Galway, this dark comedy tells the tale of Maureen Folan, a plain and lonely woman whose mother interferes in her first and potentially last loving relationship.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Beauty Queen of Leenane was first presented as a Druid Theatre/Royal Court Theatre co-production in January 1996. Set in the mountains of Connemara, County Galway, The Beauty Queen of Leenane tells the darkly comic tale of Maureen Folan, a plain and lonely woman in her early forties, and Mag, her manipulative ageing mother.

The mother's interference in Maureen's first and potentially last loving relationship sets in motion a train of events that is as gothically funny as it is horrific.

Series: Modern Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Michael Billington of the Guardian praises McDonagh for blending farce and melodrama with a sharp critique of contemporary Ireland. Libby Purves of The Times highlights the play’s richly human tragicomic paradox that balances humour with squalor. Charles Spencer of the Daily Telegraph commends the brilliant sustained dramatic tension and surprising plot twists. Georgina Brown from the Mail on Sunday notes McDonagh’s unmatched ear for Irish rhythms and everyday speech. Patrick Marmion of the Daily Mail regards McDonagh as one of the premier playwrights of the 1990s.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780413707307

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 February 1996

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Methuen Drama

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 5.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 200.0mm

Weight: 104g

Pages: 80

About the Author

Martin McDonagh's first play The Beauty Queen of Leenane was nominated for six Tony awards, of which it won four, and the Laurence Olivier Award. In 2003, his play The Pillowman had its world premiere at the Royal National Theatre and received the 2004 Olivier Award. In 2006, Martin McDonagh won an Oscar for his short film Six Shooter.

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  • The Lieutenant of Inishmore
    'There's more than one way to skin a theatrical cat; and McDonagh's chosen weapons are laughter and gore... Pushing theatre to its limits, McDonagh is making a serious point... a work as subversive as those Synge and O'Casey plays that sparked Dublin riots in the last century' Guardian 'A brave satire... Swiftianly savage and parodic... with explicit brutal action and...
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  • McDonagh Plays: 1
    Martin McDonagh's plays have been produced in Galway, Dublin, London, and New York. They have created excitement and have won numerous awards. In individual editions, the plays have been among Methuen's most popular sellers. Martin McDonagh's The Leenane Trilogy is hailed as "one of the great events of the contemporary Irish theatre" (Irish Times). This volume contains: The Beauty Queen...
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