Drama on One takes its Parlour Play series to every corner of the island
The Parlour Play season on RTÉ Radio 1 begins this Sunday 5 September
Tune into RTÉ Radio 1’s Drama on One at 8pm on Sunday 5 September for the first instalment of the Parlour Play season. RTÉ Radio’s newly titled Drama on One strand presents a full month of radio plays by Irish writers staged in the homes of participants with an audience present, addressing contemporary issues and engaging the audience in discussion after each performance.
The Parlour Plays season takes in Cahirciveen, Galway city, Maghaberry Prison, Lisburn and Dublin’s RADE centre (Recovery through Art, Drama and Education) with each production presenting new Irish writing and a witty, an intelligent take on diverse issues such as faith and spirituality, gay issues, addiction and the economic crisis.
The first play in the season entitled, Have You Found Jesus? is written and directed by Eithne Hand. It tells the tale of a Galway household taken by surprise when Jesus Christ turns up on their sofa. Recorded on location in Galway City, the play stars Rosaleen Linehan, Mikel Murfi and Cathy Belton.
This will be followed by Amy Conroy’s, Hold This, directed by Veronica Coburn which will be broadcast on 12 September at 8.00pm. In this play, a family wedding approaches and bride-to-be Aoifs wants her cousin Saoirse to bring her partner to the celebrations – but this involves divulging a four-year-old secret to Saoirse’s devoted mother back in Cahirciveen. Hold This stars Louis Lovett, Amy Conroy, Niamh McGrath, Clare Barrett, Helen Roche, Sonya Kelly and Marion O’Dwyer.
On 19 September the season moves to Maghaberry Prison, Lisburn, to present Pariahs, written by Vincent Higgins and directed by Paula McFetridge. The play tells the tale of a support group (Pariahs Anonymous) which has been set up to help people who cannot mention in polite society what they do or did for a living. A banker, a priest and an O.D.C. (ordinary decent criminal) have a group session where levels of guilt, ethics and morality are hotly disputed. When the group hear that their funding is to be cut they devise a plan to save themselves and heal the wounded soul of the Irish people. Starring Miche Doherty, Gerry Doherty, Ali White, Jo Donnelly, Alan McKee and Lalor Roddy. Recorded on location in Maghaberry Prison.
On 26 September Drama on One presents its final Parlour Play, A Proper Da, written by Maeve Ingoldsby in collaboration with the members of Dublin’s RADE centre (Recovery through Art, Drama and Education). The play tells the story of Johnny, formerly a homeless heroin addict, who is trying to put the past behind him. He wants to get to know his children and to be a proper father, but when people have long memories it’s not easy to win trust again. And Johnny’s tendency to shoot his mouth off doesn’t help!
The original idea for Parlour Plays originated with Lorelei Harris, editor of Arts, Features, Drama and Independent Productions at RTÉ Radio 1. During the Apartheid era, plays were staged in South Africa to invite people from all of the communities to hear each others issues re-enacted in dramatic form in each others homes. RTÉ Radio Drama presented a season of Parlour Plays in 2008 including, No Hand-outs in Europe by Yemi Adenuga, Moving-In Day by Dermot Bolger, North Nua by Vincent Higgins and Know Your Station by Jinx Lennon and Mikel Murfi.
To hear these plays and a host of other plays in the RTÉ archives go to the Drama on One website at www.rte.ie/radio1/drama/
Have You Found Jesus: produced by Kevin Reynolds
Hold This: produced by Kevin Brew
Pariahs: produced by Kevin Reynolds and Kevin Brew
A Proper Da: produced by Kevin Reynolds
Tune into RTÉ Radio 1, Drama on One, Sunday 5 September at 8.00pm.
For further information please contact: Denise Sammon, RTÉ Radio Press and Publicity Office, 01- 208 2312 or 087-1249 186 Denise.sammon@rte.ie
Issued by RTÉ Radio
Date: 1 September