The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Actor, writer, festival and theatre director Pius McGrath from Limerick has written the show and Killaloe woman Tara Doolan of Honest Arts Production Company is directing, producing and stage-managing it.
Speaking about the production, which will be staged at Cultúrlann Sweeney this week, Ms Doolan said, “This is a big venture for a young company. The piece is exciting, physical and innovative, providing a commentary of the Celtic male generation, as this has never been looked at”.
The play describes the journey a young man takes to find his place in the world through his sexual exploits and vicarious lifestyle.
“William MacCumhaill went from being a shy, insecure teenager to a brash cock-of-the-walk strutting 29-year-old, now reflecting on his life thus far. The audience is given an insight into what it means to be a male conforming to the norms of a society which, in his opinion, no longer lauds the conventional traits of what it means to be a man – traits which made his father and grandfather the men he aspired to be.
“He fell prey to an environment where being arrogant, egotistical and self absorbed subordinated the inherent characteristics of stoicism, honour, loyalty and courage, characteristics which he allowed to be ‘swallowed whole’ by meaningless sex,” Ms Doolan outlined.
This tale is a commentary on the metamorphosis inflicted upon him as tries to find contentment within himself by filling his emptiness with countless conquests and meaningless trysts.
The show will be previewed in Ireland before it travels to the Fringe Festival.
Mr McGrath has more than seven years experience in the industry, having worked for numerous organisations, live venues and touring theatre companies throughout Ireland. Storytelling is at the heart of Irish culture and influences his work greatly.
