This playful, irreverent melodrama, a splendid performance of the 2007 Capital Fringe Festival, is a presentation of Solas Nua, the nonprofit dedicated to presenting the contemporary works of Irish artists to better acquaint the District with modern culture of the Emerald Isle. Tom Murphy, the play’s celebrated playwright, has created this modern adaptation to reflect Irish politics of the Land League and tenants rights. As you might imagine, The Drunkard is fraught with Irish stereotypes, but its vernacular wit and vaudevillian roots come together to form a good ol’ fashioned story of justice served.

The Drunkard’s whimsical guitar and fiddle intro hints at the lyrical performance to follow. The narrative follows the playful mishaps, the nightly binges, and the triumphant luck of the lovable hero Edward Kilcullen (Patrick Bussink). It chases Edward through many years, beginning with the news of his father’s death and of his disinheritance of his father’s fortune – real estate holdings in a small, quaint village. He’s down and out, and up ahead, the road does not seem too green. But even with the evil plot of the miserly lawyer McGinty and his taste for brandy working against him, Edward comes out on top.

Edward and Arabella (Julia Stemper) get married in a festive Irish wedding, and immediately cosign the deed to her family’s cottage. Edward swears off the booze out of commitment to Arabella, only to be unyieldingly tempted back off the wagon by the scoundrel McGinty who plots to claim the deed to the cottage for himself. Edward’s dissent into the sloshed shadow of the gentleman he once was is brilliantly visualized by the costume designer (Frank Labovitz) who dresses our hero in a flock of rags.

McGinty (Jonathan Church) is the perfect vaudevillian antagonist, with his formal black top hat, exquisitely neat handlebar mustache, sharp facial features, and maniacal demeanor. Church achieves McGinty’s over-the-top pantomime flawlessly, and contributes the most comical idiosyncrasies of the whole show.

With creative set changes, drunk floozies, and good Irish music, The Drunkard is definitely worth your $20. You’ll walk away wanting to raise your glass to Solas Nua and the show’s director Jessica Burgess for this entertaining, intoxicated adaptation. Don’t forget to pack your flask.

The Drunkard can be seen every night of the Fringe Festival at Georgetown University’s Devine Theater located at the Davis Arts Center, 37th and O Sts. NW. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by calling 1-800-494-TIXS or by visiting the 2007 Capital Fringe Festival website.

Image courtesy of Solas Nua.