The Beauty Queen of Leenane is a high-octane, savagely funny play about desperate, isolated lives. Mother and daughter Mag and Maureen live together in a state of mutual dependency and mutual loathing. Their neighbors are a pair of brothers: sweet-natured Pato, who just might bring a ray of joy into Maureen's bitter life, and insanely irrational Ray. The script is by Martin McDonagh, so you know violence will erupt. Edge Theatre Company's production was one of the most shocking and entertaining shows of the year: Between Michael Stricker's direction and a powerhouse cast willing to go balls-out, the audience was left breathless — though whether from laughter or sheer horror, it was sometimes hard to tell.