#ReadIreland 2020 Tom Murphy

• Author: Tom Murphy (1935-2018)
  
• Title:The Wake
  
• Genre: play
• Published: 1998
• T. Murphy died on 15 May 2018 (obituary)
• Reading time: 2 hours
• List of Challenges 2020
• Monthly plan
• #ReadingIrelandMonth20
• #Begorrathon20

Quickscan:

1. The Wake is set in the 1990s.
2. Vera is a lonely, exiled prostitute
3. returning from New York to her native
4. …town to mourn her grandmother.
5. But she has also inherited a family hotel
6. …which her siblings covet.
7. When Vera learns the true
8. …circumstances of grandmother’s death.
9. she decides on an unusual course of action.

Conclusion:

1. Now, after reading this introduction I wanted to
2. find out what did Vera really do with her hotel?
3. That was my only smart move.
4. The play was a slapdash of arguments,
5. singing, swearing and a grande mélange à trois
6. …to shock her family and the reader.
7. The play was a mess on paper.
8. I can’t imagine having to sit it out in a theatre.
9. At least I could  read it with a toothless comb.
10. No, Tom Murphy can do better.
11. Here are two of his plays worth reading!
12. Alice Trilogy and Famine.

Last thoughts:

1. The kindest thing I can say about this play is
2. enjoy the journey, but realize
3. you’re going to roll your eyes
4. in disbelief a lot on the way.
5. #WasteOfTime