Philadelphia, Here I Come! : A Comedy in Three Acts

"Philadelphia, Here I Come!" was Friel's first huge American hit and since then his other works have been awarded and performed all over North america. Most of Friel's plays take place near or around the fictional town of Balleybeg in Northern Ireland. this particular plkay is about a youbngman who is leaving the family and it;s business tomorrow to travel to America and join relatives in Philadelphia. His character is played by two actors, p0one who plays the man who speaksout loud and one who speaks his toughts and only to him. TYhis is a method of theatre that is sheer genuis and through it we are able to recognize the sort of interior conlicts we have with oiuselves. the story line is very moving while there are times with side splitting comdey.Brian Friel is highly celebrated. his play "Dancing At Lughnasa" won all of the awards in the UK, moved to Broadway and won all of the words there. It transferred beautifullt to film with an all Irish cast with the exception of Meryl Streep= the only dialect actress whose performance is just as good in German as it is in English. His play "Faith Healer" is a completely different format but just as powerful and moving. Wkith "Philadelphia, Here I Come", we open the first page or enter the theatre and because of the title we ar expecting a particular sort of play- perhapos one of Lewis and Martin's "Road to' styles but we open to gray and dim Balleybeg and we are soon so very captivated that though the premise is intelligent (think of "The Newsroom", "Sports Night", or "Social Network" and there you have it.)If you;re one who enjoys reading plays, this is one not to miss. It's not an acotrs edition, it;s designed for reading.For those who don;t know, when creating a script for actors gthere should be as few stage or line directions as possible so that the actors can make choices on her own. Scripts printed for the public require stage directions for those peiple who have a hard time designing a set, light plot costumes and properties list as they read. This is the difference between an actors edition (usually published by Damuel French) and the pficial published version. This version is the latter.I will not include any spikersm but will say that Friel has a remarkable talent for diualouge and character- they are remarkably believable- and he can take a single emotion of character flaw and develop it into a full evening of self discovery.The Philadelphia in this play is not the Philadelphia of today. It represents new beginings- the city where broadway musicals tried out and Eugene Ormandy conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra. The state of New Jersey had not yet pulled the plug on Canden just over the Franklin Bridge so crime and druigs didn;t creep across during the night in the ghuise of gangs.If David Crosby can call Bob Dylan the Shakespeare of song writers then i can certainly calkl Brian Friel toady''s stage Shakespeare. He is even better than Aaron Sorkin, for those of you who know television or film; Fril is the shakespeare of Mozart for those of you who are comfortable with art music. Ani DiFranco for indie music, Paul Simon for pop music and willy Wonka or Choclate.Think it's with it? It is.

Like to read the play before seeing it in NYC. Great seller - arrived quickly, just as advertised!

Of course this was Brian Friel's first big success. It should have been. It's about the mysteries of immigration, the loss of what's left behind, the hope of what's hoped and longed for, the inability to feel what you say and to say what you feel, love lost and given away, and how we are not what we seem, or even what we think we are. It's also about not really understanding all this and still doing something. And it's funny.

My young fella was happy with the book

I first read this play at the age of 16, as I played the part of SB in a production in secondary school. It's on the English syllabus in Ireland, attesting to its significance in modern Irish drama. I like the play but its one major failing is that Gar, especially through Gar Private, is very often reduced to a stereotypical, stage Irish man. While his constant jokes do serve to highlight his frustration at the monotony of his life, and especially the lack of communication between him and his father, his constant chatter, and unbridled spontaneity are too overpowering and detract from what is otherwise a beautiful play. My favourite scene, and the scene I loved playing most is when SB is alone on stage and goes over to Gar's room and looks at his son's suitcases. For the first time, the mask drops and we see that he is a man of feeling who can not voice his inner hurt and turmoil. The end is lovely, the theme of memory, deceptive and alusive.

Enjoyed — Thanks.

Amazing book, highly recommend!

a fun little read, but then I'm from Philadelphia, so maybe only a fair read for others.............

Very nice play. Classics I would say. Fully enjoyed it!

An excellently written account of a young man's pre-emigration jitters, incorporating his affection for the life he so longs to leave behind. A brilliant tale of early 20th century Ireland, Catholicism, her ideas on the American dream, and a stale father/son relationship. Friel's use of the psyche as a character brings a new dimension to this play, allowing us to hear the main characters every thought, hope, fear and dream. Having emigrated myself, this story is one still applicable to Ireland. I'm glad I didn't read it before I left, or I wouldn't have gone at all! Very powerful and emotional.

needed for state exams.top quality and delivery above average

Been meaning to read this for years, a disgrace it took me 49. Still, it's done now. It's been thoroughly enjoyed. Now I can sleep.I was shocked and saddened that there could be so much disgust and resentment from a son towards his father and town.

I suppose the characters are the kind of unlikeable ones that grow on you to a point, but the divided self or private and public didn't do it for me. The play ends predictably and the viewing of it I'd not much better than the reading with butchering of colloquialisms everywhere.