As I don’t need to remind you, we are fast approaching the one-year anniversary of COVID quarantine—and for the arts, it remains a scenario of giveth and taketh away.I think we’d all sadly agree that the latter greatly outweighs the former. But the last year has also shown us that there are some positive outcomes… and today, I find myself focusing on them.

What brings about my uncharacteristically Pollyanna-ish mood? I’m watching a streaming production from the Lantern Theater, one Philly’s strongest local companies. Over the last 25-plus years, they have forged a specialty in British and Irish plays across the historical spectrum—Shakespeare of course, but also Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, David Hare, and Martin McDonagh. I particularly remember a superlative version of The Lonesome West, which was as good as any American production of McDonagh I’ve seen, including on Broadway.

On this snowy afternoon, I’m transfixed by their current video production of another Irish play, Molly Sweeney, by Brian Friel…

Click here to read the full post on Parterre Box.