Brian Friel’s powerful “Freedom of the City” comes to New York’s Irish Rep Theater

Back in 1974, the fine but under appreciated original Broadway production of FREEDOM OF THE CITY (4 previews and 9 performances, March 17 - 23 at the Alvin Theatre with the wonderful Lenny Baker and Kate Reid) marked my first exposure to Brian Friel who has since become one of my favorite playwrights. He had already made a mark for himself in New York with his PHILADELPHIA, HERE I COME (with the David Merrick Arts Foundation behind it), and his DANCING AT LUGHNASA (with another major producing organization supporting it) would become something of a classic. FREEDOM OF THE CITY, wonderful as it was - actually thrilling for me as a relatively young theatre-goer (I was just out of law school) from both a theatrical and political standpoint in its examination of a tragic cross purpose confrontation between earnest protestors and too blinded by protocol military officials - strongly reminiscent of the botched handling of the 1916 Easter Rebellion in Dublin which, had it been handled with greater sensitivity, might NOT have led to the formation of the Irish free state after WWI, was given an under-financed production which wilted under the unsympathetic reception from the then critic from the Times (who never "soft pedaled" his British bias until he left for the Post) and unenthusiastic treatment by the other critics. Despite the quick fold originally, the simple, eloquent play has lived in other subsequent productions and as the Irish Rep moves from strength to strength (their recent NEW GIRL IN TOWN, despite some flaws in staging near the end, was a delight) is wise to "rediscover" this marvelous work. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing it again. My one wish is that some theatre company looking for an off-beat work give consideration to Friel's even less successful THE MUNDY SCHEME (a 4 performance flop from 1969, but a very funny script in print).

Seanmor,It could of been the Production or Political view of the time.You know that Friel pulled the showing for years.

This Is a great Play.If you can you should go and see it.I saw it in Chicago in 1974. I think that was the date.It was put on By DePaul University.This is one of Friels best works.

If I remember correctly, this play lasted less than a week in N.Y.C. in 1974, because critic Clyde Barnes of "The New York Times" gave it a horribly bad review.