Review: West End Players Guild's Outsider Mulligan Is Sweetly Satisfying

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Neighbors Anthony Reilly and Rosemary Muldoon's path to love is equally charming and funny.

West End Players Guild sticks with a working formula with the romantic and funny Outside Mullingar. The pleasantly engaging and genuinely warm Irish comedy features an imperfect couple who are easy to cheer for and fun to watch. The light play is a smart choice for the season of love, and director Jessa Knust and an endearing cast fully embrace the charming tale.

Neighbors Anthony Reilly, a sarcastically chipper farmer in his early 40s, and Rosemary Muldoon, a farmer in her mid-30s with a quick wit and sharp tongue, have known each other most of their lives. After the passing of her father, Rosemary’s mother and Anthony’s father reminisce and bemoan their aging bodies over a drink while discussing their farms, leading Rosemary and Anthony to take a hard look at their futures. What everyone, except perhaps Rosemary and Anthony, can clearly see is that the two are completely in love with each other. 

Colleen Backer, as Rosemary, and Jason Meyers, as Anthony, expertly capture the self-deprecating humor, angst-ridden hope and unspoken attraction that propels playwright John Patrick Shanley’s romance forward. Backer’s Rosemary is sarcastic and flippant all while mooning over Meyers’ Anthony, and she’s so quick with her comeback quips, she lets her insecurity slip in. Meyers seems almost paralyzed by his fear of rejection, which he covers with comically inept bravado. Each character’s actions belie their true feelings, and observant audience members will likely have fun connecting the dots that lead the two to eventually connect. The path to love is equally charming and funny, and Backer and Meyers have strong, if sometimes awkward, chemistry together. Jodi Stockton and Brad Slavik are enjoyable as the couple’s aging parents, and there are several humorously pessimistic exchanges between the two.

Director Knust keeps the pacing brisk and uses the small theater space well, keeping scene transitions smooth and creating several cute bits of physical comedy. The cast does waver a little in accent consistency, but every line is delivered with confidence and purpose. There are also a few moments when the show seems to lose a bit of steam, luckily it’s always rescued by Backer and Meyers’ spirited back and forth. The company also makes the most of their space and budget with a clever, purposefully lived-in set designed by Jacob Winslow. Complimentary lighting design by Karen Pierce, sound design by Morgan Maul-Smith and costume design by Tracey Newcomb amplify the time, location and scrappy tone of the play.

Outside Mullingar is a disarmingly charming little romance, and it’s refreshing to see love spark among characters no longer in their teens or 20s. There’s a sense of realism and practicality that runs through the compelling one-act play, but it’s no match for the effusive joy that accompanies a good love story. If you’re planning a date night or just in the mood for a light, uplifting comedy, the West End Players Guild’s delightfully comic and quirky romance hits the spot like a good cup of Irish tea.

Outsider Mulligan is open at the Union Avenue Christian Church (733 Union Boulevard) through Sunday, February 19. Tickets are $20 to $25.