Tiny Plays For Ireland
By Jim Culleton
()
About this ebook
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.
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Tiny Plays For Ireland - Jim Culleton
Tiny Plays for Ireland
Tiny Plays for
Ireland
New__Play__Logo.tiffnew__island__new__logo__blk.JPGTINY 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
AC__Logo.tifContents
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.
AC__Logo.tifIts international touring is supported by Culture Ireland.
CI(DUAL)_LOGO_BW_FINAL.jpgFishamble 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: +353–1-670 4018, fax: +353–1-670 4019
email: info@fishamble.com
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!