Synge has finally been given his due.

The excellent Galway Arts Festival is under way [nearly over – Ed.] and, as I noted previously, the plays of John Millington Synge form a significant part of the theatrical activities. And there’s still time to see them.. the full cycle is being performed again on Saturday. Of course, certain people have already been there.. in the Irish Times Fintan O’Toole has a glowing review of the Druid Theatre Company’s Synge-cycle.. as does Michael Billington in the Guardian.Fintan O’Toole, in the Irish Times –

To put it simply: DruidSynge, Garry Hynes’s production of all six of John Millington Synge’s plays together on the same day, is one of the greatest achievements in the history of Irish theatre.

And, while Michael Billington includes some criticism – “Not all Synge survives that well.” – he has this to say –

I took two vivid impressions away from Galway. One is of Synge as the inventor of modern Irish drama: he patented the tragi-comic vision of life that has permeated everything since from O’Casey and Beckett to McDonagh and McPherson. The other impression was one of awe at the achievement of this 44-strong Druid company, who stage six different shows in a day with miraculous fluency.