Tiny Plays For Ireland

Jim Culleton

• Publisher: New Island
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781848402140
• eBook ISBN: 9781848402157
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

In Autumn 2011 Fishamble: The New Play Company, in partnership with the Irish Times, launched 'Tiny Plays for Ireland', commissioning short works by some of Ireland's best-loved writers and calling for submissions of tiny dramas from the public.

There was an overwhelming response, with over 1,700 submissions received, reflecting the imagination, creativity and psyche of the nation. The result was an evening of plays by Maeve Binchy, Dermot Bolger, Colum McCann, Rosaleen McDonagh, Sean McLoughlin, Ardal O'Hanlon, Tom Swift and Michael West, presented alongside a selection of those submitted by members of the public.

'Tiny Plays For Ireland' offers a vivid glimpse of contemporary Ireland, as seen through a host of perspectives.

Tiny Plays for Ireland

Tiny Plays for
Ireland

TINY PLAYS FOR IRELAND

First published 2013

by New Island

2 Brookside

Dundrum Road

Dublin 14

www.newisland.ie

Introduction Copyright © Jim Culleton, each play is the intellectual
property of the respective author, 2013.

The rights of all authors of these works have been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

PRINT ISBN: 978-1-84840-214-0

EPUB ISBN: 978-1-84840-215-7

MOBI ISBN: 978-1-84840-216-4

All rights whatsoever in these works are strictly reserved. Applications for permission for any use whatsoever, including performance rights, must be made in advance, prior to any such proposed use, to authors’ agents. No performance may be given unless a licence has been first obtained.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

All rights reserved. The material in this publication is protected by copyright law. Except as may be permitted by law, no part of the material may be reproduced (including by storage in a retrieval system) or transmitted in any form or by any means; adapted; rented or lent without the written permission of the copyright owner.

British Library Cataloguing Data. A CIP catalogue record for this book is

available from the British Library

New Island received financial assistance from

The Arts Council (An Comhairle Ealaíon), Dublin, Ireland

Contents

About Fishamble: The New Play Company

– Previous Productions of New Plays

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Tiny Plays for Ireland 1 – 25 plays

Tiny Plays for Ireland 2 – 25 plays

‘Fishamble puts electricity in the national grid of dreams.’

Sebastian Barry

‘In order to keep vibrant, theatre requires constant transfusions of new plays. This life-providing role is fulfilled enthusiastically and with wonderful results by Fishamble. Without them, Irish theatre would be anaemic.’

Brian Friel

About Fishamble:
The New Play Company

Fishamble is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed company, dedicated to the discovery, development and production of new work for the Irish stage.

During 2013, Fishamble is celebrating its 25th birthday. Over the past 25 years, the Company has produced 131 new plays, including 42 stand alone plays and 89 short plays as part of longer works, by first-time and established playwrights. Fishamble is delighted that, in its 25th year, its body of work will be archived in Ireland by the National Library of Ireland, and in the U.S. by the University of Notre Dame.

Fishamble is committed to touring its work to audiences throughout Ireland and internationally, and typically presents approximately 200 performances of its plays in 80 venues per year. Fishamble has brought its productions to audiences in all parts of Ireland, as well as to England, Scotland, USA, Canada, Australia, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, France, Germany, Iceland, Croatia and the Czech Republic.

Fishamble’s awards include Fringe First Awards, Herald Angel Awards, Argus Angel Awards, Irish Times Theatre Awards, 1st Irish Awards and, for many of its first-time playwrights, Stewart Parker Trust Awards.

Fishamble is at the heart of new writing for theatre in Ireland, not just through its productions, but through its extensive programme of training, development and mentoring schemes. Each year, Fishamble supports 60 per cent of the writers of all new plays produced on the island of Ireland, approximately 50 plays per year. This happens in a variety of ways; for instance, Fishamble supports:

• • the public through an ongoing range of playwriting courses in Dublin and off-site for literary and arts festivals nationwide;
• • playwrights and theatre companies through The New Play Clinic, which develops new plays planned for production by theatre artists and companies, and the annual Fishamble New Writing Award at Dublin Fringe;
• • actors through its Show in a Bag programme, which creates and showcases new plays for actors, in association with the Irish Theatre Institute and Dublin Fringe;
• • students through work in association with TCD, NUIG, NUIM, IES, DIT, and as Theatre Company in Association at UCD Drama Studies Centre;
• • emerging artists through mentoring schemes in association with venues and local authorities, for playwrights and directors.

Fishamble is funded by the Arts Council and Dublin City Council.

Its international touring is supported by Culture Ireland.

Fishamble Staff

Artistic Director Jim Culleton

General Manager Marketa Dowling

Literary Manager Gavin Kostick

Fishamble Board: Tania Banotti, Caroline Cullen, Peter Finnegan, Vincent O’Doherty, Andrew Parkes, Brendan Rice.

Fishamble: The New Play Company

Shamrock Chambers

1/2 Eustace Street

Dublin 2

Ireland

Tel: [phone], fax: [phone]

email: [email protected]

www.fishamble.com
www.facebook.com/fishamble

www.twitter.com/fishamble

Previous Productions of New Plays

2012

Tiny Plays for Ireland by 25 writers

Silent by Pat Kinevane (revival)

Mainstream by Rosaleen McDonagh (script-in-hand)

The Great Goat Bubble by Julian Gough*

The Wheelchair on My Face by Sonya Kelly*

Forgotten by Pat Kinevane (revival)

2011

Silent by Pat Kinevane

The End of the Road by Gavin Kostick

The Pride of Parnell Street by Sebastian Barry (revival)

Forgotten by Pat Kinevane (revival)

The Music of Ghost Light by Joseph O’Connor

Noah and the Tower Flower by Seán McLoughlin (revival)

2010

Big Ole Piece of Cake by Seán McLoughlin

Turning Point by John Austin Connolly, Steve Daunt*, Stephen Kennedy and Rosaleen McDonagh

Forgotten (revival) by Pat Kinevane

2009

Strandline by Abbie Spallen

The Pride of Parnell Street by Sebastian Barry (revival)

Forgotten by Pat Kinevane (revival)

Handel’s Crossing by Joseph O’Connor

Noah and the Tower Flower by Seán McLoughlin (revival)

2008

Forgotten by Pat Kinevane (revival)

The Pride of Parnell Street by Sebastian Barry (revival)

Rank by Robert Massey

2007

The Pride of Parnell Street by Sebastian Barry

Noah and the Tower Flower by Seán McLoughlin*

Forgotten by Pat Kinevane

2006

Monged by Gary Duggan (revival)

Whereabouts – a series of short, site-specific plays by Shane Carr*, John Cronin*, John Grogan*, Louise Lowe, Belinda McKeon*, Colin Murphy*, Anna Newell*, Jack Olohan*, Jody O’Neill*, Tom Swift and Jacqueline Strawbridge*

Forgotten by Pat Kinevane (work-in-progress)

The Gist of It by Rodney Lee*

2005

Monged by Gary Duggan*

She Was Wearing … by Sebastian Barry, Maeve Binchy, Dermot Bolger, Michael Collins, Stella Feehily, Rosalind Haslett, Róisín Ingle*, Marian Keyes* and Gavin Kostick

2004

Pilgrims in the Park by Jim O’Hanlon

Tadhg Stray Wandered In by Michael Collins

2003

Handel’s Crossing by Joseph O’Connor, The Medusa by Gavin Kostick, Chaste Diana by Michael West and Sweet Bitter by Stella Feehily (a season of radio plays)

Shorts by Dawn Bradfield*, Aino Dubrawsky*, Simon O’Gorman*, Ciara Considine*, Tina Reilly*, Mary Portser, Colm Maher*, James Heaney*, Tara Dairman*, Lorraine McArdle*, Talaya Delaney*, Ger Gleeson*, Stella Feehily* and Bryan Delaney*

The Buddhist of Castleknock by Jim O’Hanlon (revival)

2002

Contact by Jeff Pitcher and Gavin Kostick

The Buddhist of Castleknock by Jim O’Hanlon*

Still by Rosalind Haslett*

2001

The Carnival King by Ian Kilroy*

Wired to the Moon by Maeve Binchy, adapted by Jim Culleton

2000

Y2K Festival: Consenting Adults by Dermot Bolger, Dreamframe by Deirdre Hines, Moonlight and Music by Jennifer Johnston, The Great Jubilee by Nicholas Kelly*, Doom Raider by Gavin Kostick, Tea Set by Gina Moxley

1999

The Plains of Enna by Pat Kinevane

True Believers by Joseph O’Connor

1998

The Nun’s Wood by Pat Kinevane*

1997

From Both Hips by Mark O’Rowe*

1996

The Flesh Addict by Gavin Kostick

1995

Sardines by Michael West

Red Roses and Petrol by Joseph O’Connor*

1994

Jack Ketch’s Gallows Jig by Gavin Kostick

1993

Buffalo Bill Has Gone to Alaska by Colin Teevan

The Ash Fire by Gavin Kostick (revival)

1992

The Ash Fire by Gavin Kostick*

The Tender Trap by Michael West

1991

Howling Moons/Silent Sons by Deirdre Hines*

This Love Thing by Marina Carr

1990

Don Juan by Michael West

* denotes first play by a new playwright as part of Fishamble Firsts

New plays are under commission from Sebastian Barry, Gavin Kostick, Gina Moxley, Seán McLoughlin, Pat Kinevane, Deirdre Kinahan, Donal O’Kelly, Colin Murphy and Rosaleen McDonagh.

Acknowledgements

Fishamble wishes to thank the following Friends of Fishamble for their invaluable support:

Brian Friel, Alan and Caroline Gray, Noelle Maguire and Manus McClafferty, Colum McCann, Vincent O’Doherty, Andrew and Delyth Parkes, Lisa Cook and Richard Cook, David and Veronica Rowe, Patrick and Mo Sutton. Thank you to all who do not wish to be credited.

Fishamble is delighted to present this very special new production, which has been developed in partnership with The Irish Times and the Irish Copyright Licensing Agency. Special thanks to: David Parnell and all at the Arts Council, Gerry Smyth, Shane Hegarty, Fintan O’Toole and all at
The Irish Times; Samantha Holmes and all at the Irish Copyright Licensing Agency; Cian O’Brien, Niamh O’Donnell, Melanie Wright, Joseph Collins and all at the Project Arts Centre; Eoin Purcell and all at New Island Books; and all those who have helped Fishamble with the production since this publication went to print.

Introduction

Fishamble: The New Play Company is always searching for, and developing, plays that capture contemporary times. In order to reflect on the country’s current situation, we decided to put our trust in the Irish public and launched a national call for submissions, through The Irish Times, for tiny plays to add to the debate about where Ireland is, and where the country is going. We asked people to consider what they could achieve with three or four minutes of stage time, what issues they felt needed to be addressed, and what characters they wanted to bring to life on stage. We commissioned plays by some of Ireland’s top writers to start the project, and a selection of these were published in The Irish Times to share how some writers had dealt with the challenge of writing a 600-word play that captured a glimpse, moment or encounter of contemporary relevance.

We were thrilled with the response, receiving over 1,700 tiny plays, indicating how deeply the Irish public feels about the issues explored in the plays and the need to express them. In fact, the word count of all the plays submitted amounts to more than double that of War and Peace, or four times that of Lord of the Rings! We received plays about all aspects of life, from every county on the island of Ireland, as well as from over a dozen other countries. The youngest playwright was 7 years of age; the oldest was 81.

The plays were full of passion, whether it was expressing anger at Ireland’s current economic situation, sadness at instances of social injustice, or joy at an expression of love in an ordinary, everyday encounter. Writers were interested, of course, in perennial social issues including homelessness, bereavement, politics and the recession, but also in other, less expected areas. Reading all the plays gave us a very real, immediate insight into what the Irish public wanted to say about contemporary life. It was a privilege to read such a range of work and to get a picture of the ideas that people from all over the country, and outside it, decided to express through their tiny plays. We are particularly pleased that so many people, whether their play was chosen for production or not, remarked that it had been a great catalyst to write a play and that it had given them the confidence and motivation to work on another, more substantial work.

Our next challenge was to work out how to do justice to the level of creativity and interest that the project generated. The number of plays that seemed complete and satisfying, with a turning point, a moment of discovery, or a character progression, that seemed to be just right for the short timeframe of the play, was very impressive. So we decided to double the number of plays we would produce, and mount two separate productions – on...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Tiny Plays for Ireland 2 – 25 plays