2010-2011 Season

TRYST
By Karoline Leach

July 1 - August 21, 2011

TRYST is a riveting romantic thriller set in Edwardian London. Part romance, part psychological thriller, TRYST tells the story of handsome con-man George Love, who preys on well-off women, wooing them, marrying them, and leaving them penniless and husbandless the day after the honeymoon…that is, until he meets his match in lonely milliner Adelaide Pinchin. TRYST is an intense and tantalizing play intended for mature audiences.

Performance Schedule:

Tuesday – Saturday at 8pm
Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday at 3pm

Approx. Running Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes,
including intermission

What the Critics Have to Say...

""Tryst" at the Irish Repertory Theatre is not an easy play to stage, but thanks to a first rate collaboration, IT'S A GRIPPING YARN THAT'S EXPERTLY AND EFFICIENTLY TOLD. Lean and mean with twists, it's Hitchcock meets LaBute on a budget. Fans of no-frills theatre should make a date with "Tryst."" - NY1

"ANDREA MAULELLA AND MARK SHANAHAN SUPPLY EXPERT PERFORMANCES." - The New York Times

"If you're chomping at the bit to see two Edwardian neurotics face off - and who isn't? - you're encouraged to head towards The Irish Repertory Theatre, where Karoline Leach's Tryst is having A CHILLING REVIVAL." - Theatermania

""Tryst" unveils several TEASING TWISTS AND TURNS as George learns that Adelaide isn't quite the gullible innocent he imagined. Director Joe Brancato has provided a properly ATMOSPHERIC, OMINOUS STAGING that works particularly well in the cozy confines of the Irish Rep. Maulella superbly conveys both Adelaide's desperate yearning and the underlying steeliness that gives the play its DELICIOUS TENSION." - New York Post

"The nature of self-delusion is explored with disturbing results in “Tryst,’’ a dark, disquieting Edwardian psychological drama by Karoline Leach now performing at off-Broadway’s Irish Repertory Theatre. Leach has written a clever send-up of the standard gullible-female-meets-dastardly-villain scenario. MARK SHANAHAN PORTRAYS CON MAN GEORGE LOVE WITH ZEAL, scoring laughs with his disheveled expressiveness even when the proceedings aren’t so comical. In small, fluttering gestures, MAULELLA DELICATELY REVEALS THE REASONS ADELAIDE IS BRIMMING WITH SELF-HATRED. The production is directed by Joe Brancato with a sure hand that builds the suspense in this battle-of-the-damaged-sexes thriller. Maulella and Shanahan subtly and expertly provide convincing hope that their characters can transcend the narrow roles proscribed by their class and unfortunate circumstances." - Associated Press

CRITIC'S PICK! "Actors Mark Shanahan and Andrea Maulella make the Irish Repertory Theatre's production a bone-chilling evening. Under Joe Brancato's intelligent and precise direction, Shanahan and Maulella waltz through this drama, set in the early 19th century, with bravado. MAULELLA AND SHANAHAN GIVE AWE-INSPIRING PERFORMANCES that are only bolstered by their onstage chemistry. Shanahan moves between scheming con man and sugar-toothed wooer with ease, while Maulella, brimming with subtle eccentricities, skirts around him. Leach's interweaving monologues allow the performers to narrowly avoid each other for a series of beats, making their emotional collisions all the more satisfying."- Backstage

"If Tryst were a paperback, it would be a best-selling beach read. This Edwardian psychological thriller offers an edge of romance, plenty of conniving, a dose of comedy and sharp suspense. With Mark Shanahan and Andrea Maulella, DIRECTOR JOE BRANCATO KEEPS THE PLOT AS TENSE AND TWISTY AS AN ARGENTINE TANGO. A series of flashy turns are quick to unveil layers that reveal depths of psychological complexity. While Adelaide appears to have no self-confidence, Andrea Maulella perceptively reveals her depth, showing her private dreams and a clear-eyed ambition and pride. Mark Shanahan displays a vulnerable core in George that he fights to keep controlled within his template of heartlessness."- CurtainUp

"THE EMOTIONAL DANCE THAT GOES ON BETWEEN THESE TWO LOST SOULS IS COMPELLING, THANKS TO THE PASSION IN THE PERFORMANCES. Shanahan makes a dynamic seducer and Mauletta manages to deftly combine vulnerability with a streak of inner strength. The play itself is in the tradition of other “bluebeard” tales. Its greatest asset is the author’s ability to draw two characters that first-rate actors can bring vividly to life, as occurs on this occasion." - Wolf Entertainment Guide

"Tryst is a shocking play. To call it a “romantic thriller” minimizes both its virtuoso, Machiavellian craftsmanship and its impact. Two protagonists who might easily have been formulaic are idiosyncratically faceted, evolve in an unpredictable manner, reach an unforgettably nuanced, histrionic crescendo (some of the best writing I’ve seen on the stage) and find “resolution” with a thunderbolt. Whew! Every time you think you’ve got a handle on what’s happening, there’s subtle redirection." - WomanAroundTown

all photos by Carol Rosegg