 donnybrook
A musical comedy in 2 acts, 22 scenes. Music and lyrics by Johnny
Burke; Book by Robert E. McEnroe.
Based on the film by John Ford and the short story The Quiet Man by
Maurice Walsh
46th Street Theatre in New York City, - 18 May, 1961 (68 perfs)
The story opens in the Danaher house,
ruled by Will Danaher. Big, brash and bellowing, Will tyrannises the
family and, as a true Irishman, is happy to trade blows with anyone,
but receives little argument—except from his sister Ellen Roe.
She has her brother's fiery temper and, although she obeys the 'head
of the house', is determined to remain independent.
A new arrival in Innesfree is John Enright—six feet three and
broad of stature—who has come home after spending many years
in America. He has returned in search of peace and quiet; in fact,
his heart is set on buying a cottage, White O'Morn, which he remembers
from his boyhood days. As the next scene opens, Enright is looking
over the cottage with Mikeen Flynn, the local marriage-broker, master-intriguer
and jack-of-all-mistrades. Mikeen has offered to negotiate for the
cottage on Enright's behalf and, when Ellen Roe appears, he offers
to negotiate for her too—in case the wealthy newcomer is looking
for a wife. Enright is immediately attracted to Ellen Roe and, although
she treats him with haughty disdain, it is clear that the American
is going to find more than peace and quiet in Innesfree.
With one eye on the lady's bank balance, Will Danaher plans to court
Kathy Carey, a wealthy widow who owns the local pub. He goes to see her
at the bar, where an Irish boy is entertaining the assembly. Kathy owns
the cottage White O'Morn and much of the surrounding countryside, all
of which she inherited from her late—and not over-lamented—husband.
Her lands border with the Danaher farm, and Will is angry to find that
the American stranger is trying to buy the cottage. He bids against Enright,
but the American closes the deal. Furious, Danaher tries to pick a fight
but, much to his disgust, Enright will only offer his hand in friendship.
Somewhat against his will, Enright admits that, in the States, he has
been a prizefighter—an important piece of news, for there is nothing
the people of Innesfree like better than a fine, old-fashioned Donnybrook.
Ellen Roe and Enright meet again, and the American discovers that he
has fallen in love with the beautiful colleen. They see each other several
times and, on Sunday morning, walk together through the countryside instead
of joining the congregation for Mass, When Will Danaher hears of this,
he commands his sister to go home, forbidding her to see the 'cowardly'
American again and, although there is a fierce argument between them,
Ellen Roe will not disobey her brother as 'head of the house'. Hoping
to keep the peace, the kindly priest Father Finucane lends an understanding
ear to Enright's furious complaints.
Now it is up to the resourceful Mikeen Flynn to set things right, and
he hits upon a solution; if he can persuade Kathy Carey to marry Will
Danaher, Danaher will, in turn, free Ellen Roe, to avoid having both
women live under the same roof. The wily marriage-broker starts to put
this tortuous scheme into operation by proposing to Kathy (on Danaher's
behalf). The only trouble is that Kathy, thinking the proposal is from
Flynn, succumbs to his charms and, when Danaher is mentioned, angrily
brings the meeting to an end. Nothing daunted, the little man then goes
to Danaher and suggests—albeit nervously—that Kathy is willing
to be spliced ... so long as Ellen Roe has a husband and a home of her
own. Danaher, already hearing wedding bells for himself, consents to
the marriage of Ellen Roe to Enright and, left alone, the would-be bride
declares her love for the American. Before the wedding, however, there
must be a traditional period of courting, during which the lovers are
to be strictly chaperoned by Flynn. The Courting is represented by a
highly effective ballet, during which Enright and his fiancee easily
evade their supervising 'cupid' and, when they are alone together, Enright
vows his love.
The wedding service is over and everything is running smoothly, with
a grand reception in the parlour of the Danaher house. Old Man Toomey
sings a toast to the bride, and Will Danaher magnanimously hands over
Ellen Roe's dowry—her family heir-looms and three hundred pounds
sterling. He then proudly announces his own engagement to Kathy Carey
but, to his astonishment and anger, discovers that the widow has no intention
of marrying him; in fact, she is repelled by the thought! Grabbing the
trembling Mikeen Flynn, Danaher realises that he has been tricked into
giving his consent to Ellen Roe, and furiously takes back her dowry.
He turns on Enright and knocks him out with a single punch and, at this
moment, a dramatic flash-back reveals how, in his eighty-seventh fight,
the American prizefighter killed an opponent in the ring—the real
reason for his refusal to fight again. Shamed before the gathering, Enright
and his bride leave the wedding reception with Danaher's jeering laughter
ringing in their ears.
As the second Act opens, we find Mikeen Flynn and four friends looking
for a solution to a grave problem: knowing the fierce pride and tradition
by which Ellen Roe lives, they realise that she will not share her husband's
home and bed unless she can cement the marriage-bond with her dowry.
To save the marriage, the boys decide to steal Ellen Roe's heirlooms
from the Danaher house and, to bolster their courage, help themselves
to some alcoholic fortification. At White O'Morn, Enright and his bride
are spending an unhappy wedding night. Ellen Roe has been shamed, and
she cannot understand why her husband refuses to fight Danaher. Mikeen
and his cohorts tiptoe deafeningly through the night, bringing Ellen
Roe's dowry furniture. Thanks to their kindness, a part of the dowry
is paid, but there remains the three hundred pounds, and Ellen Roe still
regards herself as a servant rather than a wife in her husband's house.
Alone in her bedroom, she cries herself to sleep, while Enright angrily
complains.
The scene now moves to the bar of Kathy Carey's pub, where further
trouble is brewing. The widow has set her heart on marrying the elusive
Mikeen Flynn and, with the help of her friends Sadie and Birdy, decides
to make him jealous enough to propose to her by flirting with Will Danaher.
Together, the three women plot Mikeen's fate. The scheme works perfectly:
Kathy's maneouvers, assisted by some pointed 'asides' by her cronies,
are too much for the unsuspecting Mikeen who, before he knows it, has
asked Kathy to marry him, admitting his love for her.
Things go from bad to worse for Enright and Ellen Roe. The colleen is
persuaded that the marriage-bed is more important than a dowry, and she
and her husband are reconciled. However, her stubborn pride is still
unbending and, having fulfilled her duties as a wife, she tries to run
away to Dublin. This decides the American, who drags the colleen to the
Danaher farm for a final showdown. Throwing the girl at Danaher's feet,
Enright announces that, unless the dowry is paid, the marriage is finished.
Will contemptuously hands Enright three hundred pounds, which the American
hands to Ellen Roe. She, in turn, throws the money into a threshing machine.
This is too much for the fierce Danaher, who knocks Enright down, and
the 'fight of the century' is on. Across fields and farmlands, both men
hammer blows at each other until, exhausted to the, point of collapse,
Enright lands the winning punch, toppling his, adversary into a water-trough.
Although beaten, Danaher is delighted: the American has proved himself
worthy of his sister, and the two men stagger happily home to White O'Morn,
where a proud Ellen Roe awaits them.
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