Review by Diana Barth

A production of a play by Eugene O’Neill, arguably America’s first great playwright, is an event to be eagerly anticipated. When the production lives up to O’Neill, as does Roundabout’s current production of A Touch of the Poet, starring Gabriel Byrne, then it is an event to be cherished.

Featured in a towering central performance is Byrne as Cornelius (Con) Melody. The year is 1828. Although Melody is presently innkeeper of Melody Tavern, a few miles outside of Boston, his has a complex past.

He is a soldier, a former captain in the Irish Army, and has fled his homeland under a cloud. It seems he had had an affair with a colleague’s wife. Melody killed the man in a duel and now he dare not put his foot on Irish soil.

Melody is here with his wife Nora (Dearbhla, pronounced Dervla, Molloy). He has a love/hate relationship with her, for he feels he married beneath him, having been forced into it by Nora’s pregnancy.

He could not have a finer, more supportive wife than Nora, and sometimes he knows this — when he’s not too strongly under the influence of alcohol or thinking bitterly of his glorious past deeds. Melody alternately criticizes her, saying her hair smells of fish, for example, then later apologizes, saying that her hair smells lovely.

His daughter Sara (Emily Bergl) is difficult. She scorns him for his drinking, his cruelty to her mother, and for sending her to nearby merchants to beg for extended credit. Melody, offended by her rejection, often tangles with her verbally.

Sara has introduced a further complication into the household. Upstairs lies the wealthy young Simon Harford. He had become ill nearby and was brought to the inn for care.

Seeing a fine opportunity, Sara not only acts as Simon’s nurse (he is never seen onstage) but sets designs on him. She has no intention of “marrying down,” as did her father.

Melody alternately acquiesces to Sara’s marriage, then gruffly denies permission, depending on his mood. However, later, Sara proves herself the more powerful and Byrne’s quicksilver emotional changes during this scene are particularly effective.

The conflict between father and daughter is the major crux of the play. Arguably underlying the relationship is Con’s unconscious jealousy of the young, freer soul.

At one point Melody is proud of the idea of having a wealthy Harford as his son-in-law and egotistically plans a hypothetical dowry to offer to the boy’s parents. Later, when the Harfords’ lawyer pays Melody a visit with quite a different offer, Melody flies into a rage and has to be physically restrained by his group of employee/cronies.

Soon after, however, he takes a wrenching, self-defeating action, symbolic of his realization that his dreams are never to materialize. He is now wearing his captain’s vibrant red uniform, which he has put on to celebrate the anniversary of a notable battle in which he had excelled. The effect is pitiable.

It is O’Neill’s depiction of Cornelius Melody that gives this play its power and interest. The character is, simply put, very conflicted.

He dreams of what he cannot have, abuses others in immature fits of pique, and loses himself to the bottle. Alternately, he denies it all and becomes momentarily charming.

The group of Con Melody’s friends lend depth and richness to the piece. As played here, their portrayals give just what is needed — spirited performances all by Daniel Stewart Sherman as Mickey Maloy, Byron Jennings as Jamie Cregan, Ciaran O’Reilly (producing director of the Irish Rep) as Dan Roche, and Randall Newsome as Paddy O’Dowd.

Byrne’s performance is consummate. Although known primarily on these shores for his film work, he began his theatre career in major theatres in Dublin and London, and received a Tony Award nomination for his work in O’Neill’s A Moon for the Misbegotten on Broadway a few seasons ago.

Molloy’s performance as Nora brims with emotional truth, and Emily Bergl’s Sara captures the young woman’s intensity and ambition.

Kathryn Meisle in a brief scene as Mrs. Harford conveys sophistication and charm; John Horton presents an accurate picture of the attorney Gadsby. David Power’s uilleann pipes playing lends a strong note of authenticity to the Irish flavour.

Director Doug Hughes, a Tony Award winner for Doubt, still on Broadway, and Tony-nominated for last year’s Frozen, has made a major achievement in this production of A Touch of the Poet. Kudos also to Santo Loquasto for fine, accurate sets and costumes.