2011-2012 Season

Beyond the Horizon
by Eugene O'Neill
directed by Ciarán O'Reilly

February 15 - April 15, 2012

Beyond the Horizon was Eugene O’Neill’s first full-length play and won the first of his four Pulitzer prizes.

Set on a farm in Massachusetts at the beginning of the twentieth century, this riveting drama pits brother against brother for the heart of one woman.

Robert Mayo, a romantic young poet is about to embark on the voyage of his dreams. His brother Andrew is a contented farmer with a passion for the land.
 
On the eve of Robert’s departure, when their neighbor, the beautiful Ruth declares her love for one over the other, the brothers trade lives with heart-breaking consequences. The farmer goes to sea and the poet tends the land.  

It is a powerful, timeless work by America’s greatest playwright.

Check out this video for a rare behind the scenes look at The Irish Rep's production of Beyond the Horizon.

What the Critics Have to Say...

“This production, well staged... and PERFORMED WITH SYMPATHY AND RESTRAINT BY AN EXCELLENT CAST, makes an unexpectedly strong case for a play that hasn’t been seen in New York for close to a decade.”  — Wall Street Journal

“THE IRISH REP HAS DONE IT AGAIN. ...under Ciarán O'Reilly's stark, incisive direction, the lead actors deliver sympathetic, gut-wrenching characterizations. They're beautifully supported by the rest of the ensemble... The only question is why it took so long for the Irish Rep to get around to it.” — New York Post

“O’Neill’s drama REMAINS POWERFUL... [This] revival — plain, squarely built, acted with nail-on-the-head conventionality — confronts it honestly.” — Village Voice

"NOT TO MISS... DEEPLY AFFECTING" — Irish Examiner

"Here is A WONDERFUL DEPICTION OF ONE OF THE GREAT AMERICAN DRAMATIST'S EARLY WORKS — not to be missed by lovers of vivid, grandly presented theater." — The Epoch Times

“This WELL-DONE PRODUCTION of "Beyond the Horizon" provides A FASCINATING LOOK at O'Neill's early presentation of themes that recur throughout his award-winning body of work.” — AP

“THERE’S SOMETHING SO EVOCATIVE about the set of the Irish Rep’s production of Eugene O’Neill’s first published play, from 1920... The large abstract painting with shifting colors, suggesting a wild sky and a turbulent sea, is a fitting backdrop for this story of a family suffering: Robert Mayo (Lucas Hall), a writer, dreams of going to sea but doesn’t, in order to marry his neighbor Ruth (Wrenn Schmidt), and it’s a bad match; instead, it’s Robert’s brother, Andrew (Rod Brogan), a farmer, also in love with Ruth, who sets sail to avoid seeing her with his brother. What starts badly ends worse. Brogan, under Ciarán O’Reilly’s direction, brings Andrew to life.” — The New Yorker

“...A BRILLIANT REVIVAL... The cast interprets the play with understanding of the passion underlying O'Neill's writing and themes. The offering is one more example of how valuable the Irish Repertory Theatre continues to be in bringing us important works with expertise.” — Wolf Entertainment Guide

CRITIC'S PICK! “The Irish Repertory Theatre, a risk-taking company that has presented many of O'Neill's works, has blown the dust off this neglected, difficult classic and given it a fresh and challenging production. The admirable cast don't condescend to the material but focus on the burning passions underneath the soapsuds, and the main theme of poetic illusions crushed by poor choices and unlucky circumstances is brought to achingly specific life. O'REILLY AND COMPANY SHOW US WHERE THE AUTHOR BEGAN THIS PAINFUL JOURNEY OF FACING LIFE WITHOUT DELUSIONS.” — Backstage

“CIARAN O'REILLY ONCE MORE DEMONSTRATES HIS ABILITY TO GIVE EXCITING NEW LIFE TO PLAYS THAT DON'T RANK WITH O'NEILL'S MASTERPIECES. It's the choices made by Robert (Lucas Hall) and Andrew Mayo (Rod Brogan) and Ruth Atkins (Wrenn Schmidt) – each of which run counter to their natural inclination – that make this tragedy still resonate, especially in the Irish Rep's beautifully staged and well acted production.” — CurtainUp

“Simple staging and solid acting... proves that this O'Neill play is still emotionally effective today. IT IS THE WINNING COMBINATION OF O'NEILL'S WELL-CRAFTED CHARACTERS INSIDE OF A BEAUTIFULLY STRUCTURED PLOT AND THE ENSEMBLE'S OVERALL STRONG ACTING THAT MAKES THIS PRODUCTION SHINE. What is evident in this production is that there is something indelible about the power of this play.” — Huffington Post  

“CREDIT TO THE IRISH REP FOR CONSISTENTLY GIVING US FIRST-CLASS O'NEILL PRODUCTIONS. Let's hope they continue breathing new life into his rarely seen plays, whether they're worthy of it or not.” — nytheatre.com

“BEYOND THE HORIZON IS ANOTHER FINE O'NEILL REVIVAL FROM IRISH REPERTORY THEATRE. The production lays bare the play's emotions while underplaying its melodrama.” — TheaterOnline

All photos by Carol Rosegg