Gabriel Byrne always seems to be the busiest man on the planet, but lately he’s been busy on the other side of the world (and sometimes below the equator), so it is especially lovely to see him being busy in New York City!
interview
The New York Times: Of Booze, Brutal Honesty and Family: ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night’
[This article is behind a paywall now]
This is an interview with the four main cast members of Long Day’s Journey Into Night, currently in previews: Gabriel Byrne, Jessica Lange, Michael Shannon, and John Gallagher, Jr. One of the questions put to them is: In his dedication, O’Neill described the play as a reckoning with “all the four haunted Tyrones.” What haunts them?
Excerpt:
BYRNE They are incredibly sensitive people. They are torn apart by the reality of living and try to escape from it, either through memory or through drink or through drugs. Sometimes life can just be so appalling.
LANGE I came upon a Yeats quote, which I think has a lot to do with this play. I really see this so much as an Irish play: “Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy that sustained him through temporary periods of joy.”
BYRNE I hate to say it, but I think that’s a lot of bollocks. It sounds great, but actually when you examine it, it’s a way of defining an entire people with an easy kind of aphorism. We are a very complex multifaceted family of human beings.
LANGE You don’t think there’s an abiding sense of tragedy in the Irish? Come on!
BYRNE No, I think tragedy has been foisted on them. Just my own opinion. But you and Mr. Yeats ——
LANGE No, no, no. I’m not going to argue with a [expletive] Irishman.
Read the entire interview. It is wonderful to get a glimpse of the actors as they are working on this play! And there is another hilarious bit at the very end. wink
Gabriel Byrne, our favorite [expletive] Irishman
awards
It is that time of year again! First up, the Outer Critics Circle!
TheaterMania: American Psycho and She Loves Me Lead 2016 Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations
Find out which Broadway and off-Broadway shows from the 2015-16 season made the cut.
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Reed Birney, The Humans
Gabriel Byrne, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Frank Langella, The Father
Mark Strong, A View From the Bridge
Ben Whishaw, The Crucible
Also nominated are Jessica Lange (Outstanding Actress in a Play), Michael Shannon (Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play), Natasha Katz (Outstanding Lighting Design), and the play itself (Outstanding Revival of a Play).
Gabriel Byrne as James Tyrone and Jessica Lange as Mary Tyrone in Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Congratulations to everyone!
images from the previews of the play
Vanity Fair provided the first look at the previews:
Several outlets provided more pics:
More images will be available in the Gallery soon, so stay tuned!
We are crossing our fingers for a landslide of wins, which makes it quite difficult to type, so bye for now! heart
[Thanks to The New York Times for the interview images and to Jessica Lange Daily for help with production photos!]
Great interview and pics. Congratulations to all on the Outer Critics Circle nominations.
Angelle from Canada
Wish I was in USA and could see the play. It sounds strong and gripping.
I am sure Gabriel Byrne is strong, sensitive and great in his role.
He is a wonderful actor.
Nora, I wish you could be here, too!
When the play officially opens on April 27, there will be reviews of the play, more pictures, and probably more interviews with Gabriel. I will share all of that here.
And I want to thank you personally for being patient with the new website design and also the issues with the Forum. You have been one of the biggest supporters of Byrneholics over the years and I appreciate your enthusiasm very much!
<3
Thank you for your kind words Stella.
It is such special days now, before the play opens.
I can’t imagine how it must be to be one of the actors that are so brave to be willing to act in this demanding play on stage. I have read the play two times and I can only guess how difficult it must be to bring to life these unhappy characters on stage. It must be a challenge to be honest and vulnerable on the same time. But I think that we all can find parts of these people inside ourselves. If we are honest. And if we are willing to see the dark sides inside ourselves, then we can develop as human beings, I think.
So I admire actors like Gabriel Byrne. They must be talented, they must work hard and most of all they have to be brave.
Hope the critics treat them as they deserve.
Nora from Norway