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] "Cripple" Billy Claven is a disabled orphan living with his aunts Kate and Eileen Osbourne on the Irish island of Inishmaan.
Babbybobby initially refuses, but Billy shows him a letter from Dr. McSharry, who is treating him for his various health problems, which states that he has contracted tuberculosis and has about three months to live.
Johnnypateenmike overhears their conversation and demands to see the letter, threatening Babbybobby with divulging his secrets – that he kissed a green-toothed crippled girl in Antrim – to the community.
Directed by Garry Hynes, the cast featured Kerry Condon, Andrew Connolly, Laurence Kinlan, Dearbhla Molloy, Aaron Monaghan, Marie Mullen, Patricia O'Connell, David Pearse and John C.
[5] In 2013, the play returned to the Noël Coward Theatre in London's West End for a sold-out run starring Daniel Radcliffe as Cripple Billy and with Michael Grandage directing.
[6] Martin McDonagh said of his play, "I hope someday they’ll be regarded as true Irish stories; I don’t think they are at this minute.
In an interview, after the play was performed on Inishmaan in 2011, it was reported that "Mr. McDonagh used an unprintable euphemism to explain that it has never been his intent to take the measure of his fellow Irishmen cruelly".