Bill Meleady is from Ireland. Noni Lewis is from Wales. And Stephen Cooper is Canadian. Together they form the trio of actors performing a very Irish play by Brian Friel called Molly Sweeney, coming to the Vineyard for one night only, on Sunday, March 13, at 5:30 p.m.
The play will be held at the Vineyard Haven Library and the performance is free. If you are now wondering, why a library and not the playhouse or other typical theatrical venue, it’s because the mission of the Newton Nomadic Theatre Company is to bring high quality theatre straight to the community, wherever that may be.
“We’ve performed in libraries, galleries, pubs, barns, people’s homes too,” said Mr. Meleady, who not only stars in the production but is also the director. On Friday they will perform at a school for the blind, which is somewhat apt considering the subject matter of the play, Mr. Meleady said.
“It’s the story of a woman who was born clinically blind, an ophthalmologist who has fallen from grace, and her husband, a jack of all trades type of guy,” he said.
Mr. Meleady is no stranger to the Vineyard, having lived here for a time and performed in several shows at the playhouse and the outdoor amphitheater. The play is loosely based on an Oliver Sacks essay, he said. It consists of three interweaving monologues, with the three characters sharing the bare stage but not interacting with each other.
“It’s a text driven piece, rich in language,” Mr. Meleady said. “It’s storytelling as much as theatre. Perfect for a winter night.”
The theatre troupe has been performing the piece for the past five weeks in and around the Boston area. And after Sunday’s performance on the Island, they will head back to Jamaica Plain to set up camp at the Brendan Behan pub, where Mr. Meleady got his start 25 years ago.
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