I actually saw this play live some years ago. I remembered as soon as I read the first page. And I remembered enough of it so that the play my mind usually puts on while reading one was augmented and supplemented by added recollections. Conveniently enough I manage to forget a couple of salient plot aspects that made the reading of this all the more enjoyable with surprises. I do like McDonagh’s style, there is a music to his dialogue, no other way to describe it. And it’s funny, for all its darkness. In fact, the author manages the balance just right, so that one doesn’t overwhelm the other. But at its bones it’s terribly sad. What is it with the Irish literature? What a sad lot. All these small, quiet, emotionally devastating stories. The people themselves seem to have good cheer, but fictionally, tonally…it’s depressing, like global warming and elections. Of course, the eponymous protagonist’s lot is very sad, trapped on a small island, burdened with an active intellect and appetite for life that Inishmaan of 1934 just isn’t equipped to meet, Billy finally gets a chance for an adventure after a movie production comes calling. But if that sounds exciting, just remember…this isn’t that sort of play. No happy endings here. No especially happy moments preceding the ending either. More like a peculiar blend of cruelty and kindness, generously seasoned by humorous asides and singsong wordplay that seems to be the basis of all the local interactions. Sad, sure, and emotionally engaging too, so it really delivers on that, but a pleasure to read, the language alone is worth it, but also there’s a haunting quality to the story that just really works. Definitely worth checking out for anyone looking to expand their reading diets. Shows what a good play can do, what can be accomplished by dialogue alone and at least one very clever narrative trick. Recommended.