THEATER:Golden West spins a witty Irish tale

The Irish, it’s well known, are great spinners of yarns, and Golden West College theater director Tom Amen experienced this first-hand when he and his wife spent three weeks on the Emerald Isle.

“Again and again, we were struck by the contrast between the stark, austere landscapes and the warmth and graciousness of the people,” Amen said. “We were particularly captivated by the delightfully colorful way that the Irish people express themselves.”

Amen is turning some of that colorful prose into his next production at Golden West, Martin McDonagh’s “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” which he refers to as “a strange comic tale in the great tradition of Irish storytelling.”

Set in 1934 on a remote island off the West coast of Ireland, the play tells the story of Cripple Billy, a young lad who longs to break away from the tedium of his daily life. He sees his big chance when a Hollywood director arrives on a neighboring island to make his latest movie.

“Billy is determined to be its star, and he will risk everything for his chance at fame and fortune,” Amen said. “Poignant, lyrical and full of surprises, it’s a beautiful and haunting little play with all the clarity and power of a fable.”

McDonagh also penned “The Beauty Queen of Leenane,” which South Coast Repertory presented in 2000. Some playgoers also may have seen “Cripple” at UC Irvine last season — with former Golden West standout Mark Bedard in a featured role.

The Golden West production, which opens March 2 for two weekends, will offer performances by Bruce Alexander, Courtney Marie Barr, Michael Bielitz, Kimberly Brown, Kathleen Fabry, Robert Ferraras, Emma Ryan, David Steen and Tony Zellar.

“The Irish breathe vitality, wit and wisdom into the English language in a way that makes it entirely their own,” Amen said, adding “and I think that Martin McDonagh has beautifully captured that capacity in this play. His characters speak in voices full of both ferocious humor and unexpected tenderness.”

Golden West audiences will be able to experience that special quality at 8 p.m. March 2 and March 3, and March 9 and 10 and at 3 p.m. March 4 and 11, when the production unfolds in the college’s Mainstage Theater. Call the box office at (714) 895-8150 or go to www.gwc theater.com.“ ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ is a very special play by a very gifted storyteller,” Amen said. “Like a hearty Irish stew, or a smooth pint of Guinness, it fills you … it stays with you … it sticks to your ribs and works its subtle magic inside of you.”