Overview
Synopsis
Presented in four monologues by three characters, Brian Friel's Faith Healer is the story of Frank, a traveling showman who also occasionally heals people; his bitter, angry, but still loving wife; and his once-plucky, now-tired manager, who has given up his career to promote Frank. Traveling through remote and isolated areas in Scotland and Wales, Frank offers his unique cure to the most desperate and hopeless of people. Does he actually possess a gift? Or are these rare and miracle healings simply tricks of the mind? Each monologue sheds more light on events that lead to tragedy, although the characters' memories conflict with each other. Faith Healer is an Irish meditation on the role and responsibility of the artist in society, as well as an exploration of the meanings of healing and salvation.
Show Information
- Book
- Brian Friel
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- First Produced
- 1979
- Genres
- Drama, Dark Comedy
- Settings
- Period, Simple/No Set
- Time & Place
- An empty stage, 1970s
- Cast Size
- small
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- small cast, Regional Theatre, Professional Theatre, Small Cast, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult Characters
Context
Faith Healer first opened in Boston in February 1979 and starred James Mason as Frank, alongside Clarissa Kaye and Donal Donnelly. The production was directed by José Quintero and transferred to Broadway at the Longacre Theatre in April 1979, where it played 20 performances. The first production in Ireland was at the Abbey Theatre in August 1980, starring Donal McCann, Kate Flynn and John Kavanagh. In March 1981, the play opened at the Royal Court Theatre in London, directed by Christopher
to read the context for Faith Healer and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Frank
Frank appears on an abandoned stage in front of a large poster that reads: “The Fantastic Francis Hardy. Faith Healer. One Night Only." He speaks to the audience but it slowly becomes clear throughout his first monologue that we should not trust the authenticity of his words. He begins by talking about the art of faith healing: “A craft without an apprenticeship, a ministry without responsibility, a vocation without a ministry”. He then begins to describe his manager Teddy,
to read the plot for Faith Healer and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
The first Irish national theatre to open in December 1904.
A speech given by a character.
A play with only one act. One-act plays may have several scenes and vary in length, from short single scenes to full-length scripts.
A play that centers around the downfall of the main character through tragic actions and events.
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher