Valentine’s play from Newbridge theatre company
Actors Yvonne Muphy, Brian Talbot and Fiona Tuohy in rehearsals for Crossfire Theatre Company's production of Valentines
Ladies, if you’ve ever wished you could hear what a man is thinking as you get ready for a night out - or guys, if you’ve ever wanted to know what’s really on women’s minds - then there’s a play for you on at the Riverbank in Newbridge this weekend.
Local man Eoin Gannon’s new production Valentine’s follows the tale of a girl called Rachel as she heads out on a date on Valentine’s night. It covers the tricky subject of relationships, break-ups, and love in the 21st century.
The twist to this latest production from Eoin’s Crossfire Theatre Company is that the audience can hear exactly what’s going on in Rachel’s head. A male and a female actor represent all the men and women she’s ever worked with, in what promises to be a witty and hilarious three-way exchange of views.
This is the third production for Crossfire, and it follows its staging last year of another original work, Frank and Catherine.
Eoin, who recently got engaged, insists that the play isn’t an autobiographical trawl through his romantic history! “It’s taken more from observations. We’ve delved deep into one person and thrown a whole lot of stuff at one character,” he said.
The script, while Eoin’s original idea, was heavily improvised over the last couple of weeks in rehearsals with the actors. Fiona Tuohy from Kilcock plays the lead character Rachel, while Yvonne Murphy from Maynooth plays the female character and Brian Talbot from Offaly the male one.
“The original concept came about eight or nine months ago, and I was always writing bits and pieces for the character. But the really hard process of putting the script together with dialogue and plot only happened about five weeks ago, and it was through the intensive rehearsals process that it was formed.”
30-year-old Eoin, originally from Moorefield Park and now living in College Park, works by day as an arets administrator for Theatre Forum, the representative body of the performing arts in Ireland.
He is currently building on his repertoire of plays. But he says it’s tough to get a break and bring a production to another venue or festival.
“I’m working in the theatre industry, so I’m building up relationships in the theatre community, but when you are starting out and don’t have a reputation behind you it can be very, very difficult. But places like the Fringe and the New Theatre are very helpful to emerging practitioners.”
Crossfire receives some funding from the Kildare County Council Arts Service, and Eoin is also grateful for support from the Riverbank and Newbridge Drama Group
“I’ve another two plays in my back pocket ready to come out in the next couple of months, it’s just finding the time to get to it. it’s like having two full-time jobs!”
Crossfire Theatre Company’s production of Valentine’s is at the Riverbank on Saturday 11, Monday 12 - Wednesday 15 February. Admission E10. To book call 048 448330 or log on to www.riverbank.ie.
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Thursday 17 May 2012
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