In a remote Irish village as comical as it is dangerous, brothers Valene and Coleman Connor share an undying hostility for their mundane lives, and especially for each other. From potato chips to plastic saints, nothing is sacred and everything is an excuse for violence. Only Father Welsh, a young and depressive priest, tries to reconcile the pair before their petty squabbles spiral out of control. But could God himself stop this latter-day Cain and Abel from their vicious carnage? Hilariously volatile and morbidly engrossing, McDonagh's depiction of the rural "murder capital of Europe" will have you laughing until it hurts.

The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre (The Gamm) has launched their new year with The Lonesome West, a viciously comic and darkly entertaining play by award-winning playwright Martin McDonagh. The production, under the direction of Judith Swift, who also directed recent Gamm productions Oleanna and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, surprises audiences at every turn, exploding the myth of a folksy rural Ireland with acts of extreme pettiness and unbridled violence. The Lonesome West runs through February 26.

Third in British-born McDonagh's "Leenane Trilogy" of plays set in a small village in Connemara, The Lonesome West combines traditional story telling with irony and biting humor, as in The Beauty Queen of Leenane and A Skull in Connemara. Gamm Artistic Director Tony Estrella said he is thrilled to be staging and performing in a work by "one of today's greatest playwrights," a status reinforced by last season's Broadway run of McDonagh's Tony-nominated hit, The Pillowman.

"McDonagh has established himself at a relatively young age as one of the geniuses of contemporary theater. His works are at once intense, ferocious, absurd and hilarious," Estrella said. "It is a privilege to stage The Lonesome West. I hope it is only the first of many McDonagh's to come."

Tickets: $23 & $26. Discounts for subscribers, groups of 10 or more, seniors and students. For single ticket sales, call 401-723-4266. Or purchase tickets at www.arttixri.com.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION OF THE LONESOME WEST

By Martin McDonagh Directed by Judith Swift

Set Design by Dan Bilodeau Costume Design by Marilyn Salvatore Lighting Design by Matt Terry Sound Design by Charles Cofone Fight Choreography & Special Effects by Normand Beauregard Stage Management by Stef Work Assistant Stage Manager, Adrienne Johnson; Dramaturge, Jennifer Madden. Valene Connor Anthony Estrella Coleman Connor Jim O'Brien Father Welsh Chris Byrnes Girleen Kelleher Karen Carpenter

CALENDAR OF PERFORMANCES

Thursday, Feb. 2, regular performance at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, regular performance at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, regular performance at 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, regular performance at 2 p.m. (Performance followed by Shared Sundays discussion with artists and scholars. Show attendance not required. Free for all.) Wednesday, Feb. 8, regular performance at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, regular performance at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, regular performance at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, regular performance at 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, matinee performance at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, regular performance at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, regular performance at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, regular performance at 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, matinee performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, regular performance at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb 22, regular performance at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, regular performance at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, regular performance at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, regular performance at 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, matinee performance at 2 p.m.

The Gamm Theatre is at 172 Exchange Street in Pawtucket. YOu can call them at 401-723-4266 or visit them online at www.gamtheatre.org. [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive]