Lifelong Learning Lecture Series: Border Crossings: The Early Work of Irish Playwright Brian Friel
Guest speaker: Dr. Kelly Matthews, Professor of English and Coordinator of Liberal Studies, FSU
When Brian Friel died in October 2015, the New York Times eulogized him as “the Irish Chekhov,” noting his “distinctive blend of melancholy and humor.” The Guardian called him “the father of modern Irish drama.” Friel has long been acclaimed as Ireland’s leading contemporary playwright, having scripted 24 plays for Broadway and West End theatres, many of which depict pivotal moments in Irish history or Northern Irish political unrest. This talk focuess on Friel’s early work—his beginnings—in which lay the seeds of his prodigious career.