A Little Gem coming to Glór

AFTER sell-out seasons in New York, London and Paris and a sold-out seven-week run at Ireland’s National Theatre and a run at the Olympia, Gúna Nua Theatre Company’s production of Little Gem is coming to Glór later this month.

Little Gem sees three generations of Dublin women on a wild and constantly surprising journey. Kay’s got an itch that Gem can’t scratch, Lorraine attacks a customer at work and her boss wants her to see a psychiatrist while Amber has fierce bad indigestion and the sambucas aren’t getting rid of it. Then of course there’s Gem, who doesn’t like the neighbours coming in to ‘mind’ him. If all that wasn’t bad enough, Little Gem makes his presence felt and life is never the same again.
Gúna Nua director and founder Paul Meade first read Elaine Murphy’s Little Gem in 2008 and promptly staged and directed the impressive debut in the Dublin Fringe Festival, where it won several awards and went on to great acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2009.
Under the direction of Paul Meade, the cast interweave their characters’ life experiences as they cope with modern life’s daily pressures and the heart-breaking toll of inevitable tragedies, expertly blending slapstick humour and sharp comic timing with strength, courage and honesty.
The three leads in the play are Neili Conroy (Lorraine), Genevieve Hulme-Beaman (Amber) and Anita Reeves (Kay). Neilí Conroy is one of Ireland’s most experienced screen actresses, having appeared in more than 16 film and television roles from Nicola Spencer in The Family to Sorcha Geraghty in The Clinic and most recently as Dylan’s mother in Kisses. Genevieve Hulme-Beaman is a graduate of the Gaiety School of Acting’s full time course. Previous appearances include Casa Lisa by Ken Bourke and Talking Shop Ensemble’s Anne and Barry. Anita Reeves’ UK appearances include Little Buttercup in HMS Pinafore and Ginnie Gogan in The Plough and the Stars.
The play is written by actress and writer Elaine Murphy from Dublin.
Little Gem will be staged in Glór from October 20 to 22. For tickets, see www.glor.ie. On the opening night, October 20, Glór is offering a special discount to three generations of the same family who make a booking. Contact the box office at 6843103.