Joe Praml

LA STAGE TIMES

First Person
The Au Pair Man Suits Celtic Arts Return

by Joe Praml | May 5, 2011

Every actor has a list of roles he’d like to act and every director has a list of plays he’d like to direct. After reading Hugh Leonard’s The Au Pair Man​ about 20 years ago, I put it on my imaginary List of Plays I’d Like to do Some Day If I Ever Have the Chance.

When the Celtic Arts Center was looking for a play to begin its comeback as producers of theater, I suggested this play. It has only two actors in it and basically one set. But above all it is witty and devastatingly funny. Although an American, I lived in London for many years and the writing jumped off the page at me as I heard those London and Irish voices once again.

At first, when we had the opportunity at the Actors Art Theatre, I directed it as a sit-down reading, no sets, no costumes, just two chairs and minimal lighting. But the people who came to see it liked it so much it’s now grown into this full-fledged theatrical production by the Celtic Arts Center with the Raven Playhouse in the NoHo Arts District.

The Au Pair Man is a symbolic take on the centuries of troubles between Ireland and the British Empire. This theme suits the Celtic Arts Center and its close relationship to Ireland and to Celtic people all over the world. Aside from the symbolism, what really attracted me to the play was developing the human aspects.

Eugene Hartigan and Mrs. Rogers, the protagonist and antagonist (played respectively by Joe Corgan and Virginia Morris), besides being at the political core of the play, are also rooted deeply in what we sometimes call the human condition. There is an aura of the battle between good and evil, darkness and light, but for all their foibles and flaws, the pleasure of this production is seeing these characters come off as human beings, not your normal everyday human beings to be sure, but human beings just the same. Any play, every play, in order to be a play, is about human beings.

Even though The Au Pair Man has only two characters and a single set, the complexities of action and layers of character revelation seem to be endless as we find new facets in every rehearsal. This play is a huge challenge, which might explain why it hasn’t been done more often. But for me, The Au Pair Man by Hugh Leonard has been a pleasure to direct.

Virginia Morris, Joe Corgan

The Au Pair Man, presented by ACS/Celtic Arts Center in association with Raven Playhouse, opens May 7; plays Fri.-Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 7 pm; through June 12. Tickets: $15-$20. Raven Playhouse, 5233 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; 818-760-8322 or celt@celticartscenter.com

JOE PRAML was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, graduated University of Minnesota (BA degree in English); Shubert Fellow in Playwriting at UofM Graduate School of Theatre. Won McKnight Foundation Humanities Award for Drama. Stage plays produced in London and US. Moved to London in 1970, lived there 14 years working in film, TV, radio and stage as actor, writer and director. Also freelance journalist including features for London’s Time Out magazine. Professional organizations include Long-Service Member British Equity, Screen Actors Guild, Dramatists Guild of America, former member British Union of Journalists. Celtic Arts Center member since mid-’80s. At Center, directed Mary O’Malley’s Once a Catholic (Drama-Logue Award for Direction); two Eugene O’Neill sea plays, Bound East For Cardiff and A The Long Voyage Home (awarded Eugene O’Neill Centennial Memorial Commendation by City of Los Angeles); compiled, directed and read “Celtic Visions and Dreams, an Evening of Poetry of Ireland, Scotland and Wales” (Celtic Arts Center’s contribution to the Los Angeles Poetry Festival). Currently, Joe is active as performance storyteller and reader of poetry, directing and coordinating Celtic Arts Center’s Dylan Thomas Celebration, the Bloomsday readings from James Joyce’s Ulysses, and poetry readings at Center’s Robert Burns Night.