The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant

By: Tom Murphy

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Paperback | 27 May 2009 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback
112 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
19.56 x 12.7 x 0.76

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An epic family drama, shot through with dark humour, The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant tells the tragic story of a family disintegrating, having lost its moral values.

Arina is an ambitious woman. As a servant girl she marries into the degenerative family she works for; her ruthless energy saves it from bankruptcy and she expands the family estate into an 'empire'. As matriarch she rules with an iron hand, her avarice insatiable, until she questions what it is all for. She slackens her hold and loses her power to the hypocrisy and relentless grasping of her 'chosen son'.

Inspired by The Golovlyov Family by Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant is a haunting new work from leading Irish dramatist Tom Murphy, who has worked closely with the Abbey Theatre throughout his career.

The play premiered at the Abbey Theatre, Ireland, on 3 June 2009.

Industry Reviews

"As a morality tale, this is thumping with home truths." --The Guardian

"Almost uncanny insight into the mindset and culture that sustained Letterfrack and its like. Its driving theme is the corruption of the person that is caused by the unique mixture of land poverty and Irish Catholicism that is our nation's birthright...Tom Murphy's play is still raw, but raw is what we need now." --The Independent

"A masterpiece." --The Independent (Ireland)

"Magisterial reflection of a way of life that is slowly dissolving." --Irish Times

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