The Lonesome West

In a God-forsaken corner of an Irish village, two brothers argue constantly, hate each other and fight to the death over even the most trivial things. Though no one remembers what started the quarrel, as soon as they open their eyes each day, they set off to argue as if it were a job. The Lonesome West (1997), a play by Irish-born British playwright and screenwriter Martin McDonagh that is frequently staged in Latvia, is the final work in the author’s Leenane Trilogy.

“What drew me to it was the theme of how the closest family members—brothers—live off and feed on hatred for each other. The drama is so wonderful because McDonagh can turn the tension up to the extreme. When it seems there is no way out, a mysteriously mad solution suddenly appears. McDonagh’s writing is characterised by very direct language—it is dark, but at the same time very witty, funny, and actually says quite a lot about how we in Latvia often treat one another, too. You don’t have to look far: when driving, God forbid I slightly inconvenience another driver—their surge of hatred will be no less than in this play; they may well think, ‘Why was I even born?!’” The director draws parallels.