The Cripple of Inishmaan is written by writer/director Martin McDonagh, known for such plays as A Skull in Connemara and recent films In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths and directed by Michael Grandage.

The Cripple of Inishmaan is a bittersweet comedy based around the lives of a small community on the island, when they hear news of a Hollywood film maker coming to a neighbouring island bringing with him the opportunity to make some of the locals famous and giving them the possibility of being swept away to Hollywood to become film stars. The play also focuses on the theme of acceptance, with orphaned Billy Claven (Daniel Radcliffe), being the aforementioned Cripple of Inishmaan who wants to be seen as a normal person like the rest of the people on the island.

However he finds this difficult with his slightly overbearing ‘aunts’ Kate and Eileen who run the local grocery shop and find it difficult to see him as a person despite his disabilities with such lines as “Not being cruel to Billy but you’d see nicer eyes on a goat.” but they only want what is best for Billy. You also meet the islands gossip in the form of Johnnypateenmike (Pat Shortt) who brings the community his very interesting information which he swaps for food from the shop to give to his hilarious alcoholic Mammy (June Watson) who has been steadily drinking herself to death for the last sixty five years “a pint of port now and again is good for you!”, and then there is the volatile object of Cripple Billy’s affections Helen McCormick (Sarah Greene) who has a tendency to throw eggs at people and her brother Bartley McCormick (Conor MacNeill), who just like Cripple Billy dream of a new life in Hollywood.

There is seemingly unrequited love in the form of Cripple Billy and Helen McCormick who insults him at every opportunity she gets which Billy just takes in his stride as he is used to being talked to like this and he loves her despite the way that she speaks to him. Politically incorrect lines run through the entirety of the play which have the audience in stitches, with digs at Catholic priests which can come quite close to the bone.

All of the actors play their characters incredibly well but Daniel Radcliffe really comes into his own as Billy, with a convincing Irish accent that holds through the entirety of the play and he brings empathy to the character which keeps the audience engrossed in Billy’s journey of self-discovery. Radcliffe continues to step away from a young adult audience and proves himself to be an excellent choice for the role. The Cripple of Inishmaan will have you roaring with laughter one minute and be tugging on your heartstrings the next, a definite must see.