The Complete Plays: The Hostage / The Quare Fellow / Richard's Cork Leg

by Brendan Behan, Alan Simpson (Introduction), E.H. Mikhail (Contributor)

This volume contains everything Behan wrote in dramatic form in English. First comes the three famous full-length plays: The Quare Fellow, set in an Irish prison, is "something very like a masterpiece" (John Russell Taylor); The Hostage, set in a Dublin lodging-house of doubtful repute, "shouts, sings, thunders and stamps with life . . . a masterpiece" (Harold Hobson); and Richard's Cork Leg, set largely in a graveyard, is nevertheless "a joyous celebration of life" (Michael Billington). There follow three little-known one-act plays originally written for radio and all intensely autobiographical: Moving Out, A Garden Party and The Big House. The Introduction, by Alan Simpson, who knew Behan well and first directed his work on stage, provides the essential biographical details as well as candid insights into Behan's working methods and his political allegiances. Also included in the volume is a wide-ranging bibliography. "It seems to be Ireland's function, every twenty years or so, to provide a playwright who will kick English drama from the past into the present. Brendan Behan may well fill the place vacated by Sean O'Casey."-Kenneth Tynan

Genres: Plays, Drama, Ireland, Irish Literature, Fiction, Theatre, 20th Century

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Early association with the Irish republican army and experiences in prison influenced works, including The Quare Fellow , the play of 1954, and the autobiographical Borstal Boy in 1958 of Brendan Francis Behan, writer.

Brendan Francis Behan composed poetry, short stories, and novels in English. He also volunteered.

A mother in the inner city of Dublin bore Brendan Francis Behan into an educated class family. Christine English, his grandmother, owned a number of properties in the area and the house on Russell street near Mountjoy square. Peadar Kearney, his uncle and author of song and the national anthem, also lived in the area. Stephen Behan, his father, acted in the war of independence, painted houses, and read classic literature to the children at bedtime from such sources as Émile Zola, John Galsworthy, and Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant; Kathleen Behan, his mother, took them on literary tours of the city. From father, interest of Behan in literature came; his mother originated his political ideas. She politically acted in all her life and personally befriended Michael Collins. Brendan Behan lamented "The Laughing Boy" at the age of thirteen to Collins. His mother gave the affectionate nickname, the title, to Collins. Kathleen published "Mother of all the Behans," a collaboration with Brian Behan, another son, in 1984.

Peadar Kearney, uncle of Brendan Francis Behan, composed Amhrán na bhFiann , the national anthem. People best knew "The Patriot Game," the song of Dominic Behan, his also renowned brother; Brian Behan, another sibling, a prominent radical political activist, spoke in public, acted, and authored. Brendan and Brian shared not the same views, especially when the question of politics or nationalism arose. Brendan on his deathbed presumably in jest asked Cathal Goulding, then the chief of staff, to "have that bastard Brian shot—we've had all sorts in our family, but never a traitor!"

From a drinking session, Brendan Francis Behan at the age of eight years in 1931 returned home on one day with his granny and a crony, Ulick O'Connor recounts. A passerby remarked, "Oh, my! Isn't it terrible ma'am to see such a beautiful child deformed?" "How dare you", said his granny. "He's not deformed, he's just drunk!"

Brendan Francis Behan left school at 13 years of age to follow in footsteps of his father as a house painter.

Reviews

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Quare Fellow 5☆
The Hostage 3☆
Richard's Cork Leg 5☆ (one of funniest plays I've come across)

Moving Out 3☆
A Garden Party 4☆ (The plot (twist) reminded me a lot of Mickey Mouse/Donald Duck comics for some reason)
The Big House 3☆

[Nahia · Rating 3 out of 5]

2'5 en realidad.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read "Richard's Cork Leg."

Various shenanigans occur in an Irish cemetary then move on to an upstanding citizen's house, then back to the cemetary. Prostitutes, rebels, Republicans, Blueshirts, loose women and fast men quip about religion, politics, war, drink, sex and the peculiarities of being Irish.

Not really a play, this piece is more a cross between a farce and a vaudeville act. I found it very funny but you may have had to have just watched "The Wind that Shakes the Barley" and/or "Michael Collins" to get all the references. The topical (for that time) jokes at times make it seem a deeper and more thoughtful piece than it is.

[jordan]

I saw a production of The Hostage in DC years ago (at which I had my first Guinness), which was thoroughly enjoyable (and switched out the final song for "The Auld Triangle.") Still haven't gotten around to reading the rest of the plays, though every time I notice it on my list or on my shelf, I get "Streams of Whiskey" (The Pogues) in my head for the rest of the day.

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously Goodreads does not allow me to separately rate each work contained within this collection of all of Behan’s plays. “The Quare Fellow” and “The Hostage” are vintage Behan; would’ve given each a solid 5. “Moving Out” and “The Garden Party,” both short form and written for radio, are also memorable; 4 stars for both. “Richard’s Cork Leg” and “The Big House” did not move me.

[Geoffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Featured in TWO Pogues songs. He also wrote "The Auld Triangle." And two great plays.

[Paul Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished reading The Quare Fellow in this book.

[Max Nemtsov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Красота драматургии Биэна — в ее несовершенстве, его пьесы хаотичны, как сама жизнь. Самое зажигательное у него — «Заложник», даже в своей английской версии. Все же не ту его пьесу перевел Бродский (как — я пока не понял, потому что не обрел русского текста). "Пробковая нога Ричарда" - тоже прекрасный шедевр мультимедийного абсурда. Стоит особо отметить, что в первом составе там участвовали "Дублинцы" (группа, а не рассказы).
Бонус: в его коротких радиопьесах обнаружилась мать протестных плакатов из Отца Теда»: «Да здравствует долой».

[Corvyn Appleby]

The Quare Fellow is definitely the standout, but consistently sharp and witty; Behan one of the rare ones who can write screwball farce humor that's actually, God forbid, funny!

[Harrison Rip · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave up partway through. Boring but hard to process.

[Greg]

(Just reading "The Quare Fellow.")
(And "The Hostage" too, apparently.)

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

i want to re-read this, but it was so awesome.

[Everett · Rating 4 out of 5]

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