The Cripple of Inishmaan

The Cripple of Inishmaan
Methuen cover
Written by	Martin McDonagh
Characters	"Cripple" Billy Claven Kate Osbourne Babbybobby Helen McCormick Eileen Osbourne Doctor McSharry Bartley McCormick Johnnypateenmike Mammy
Date premiered	12 December 1996 (12 December 1996)
Place premiered	Royal National Theatre, London
Original language	English
Subject	disability, cruelty, Hollywood
Genre	Black comedy
Setting	Inishmaan, 1934

The Cripple of Inishmaan is a dark comedy by Martin McDonagh who links the story to the real life filming of the documentary Man of Aran.

The play is set on the small Aran Islands community of Inishmaan (Inis Meáin) off the Western Coast of Ireland in 1934, where the inhabitants are excited to learn of a Hollywood film crew's arrival in neighbouring Inishmore (Inis Mór) to make a documentary about life on the islands. "Cripple" Billy Claven, eager to escape the gossip, poverty and boredom of Inishmaan, vies for a part in the film, and to everyone's surprise, the orphan and outcast gets his chance.... or so some believe.^[1]