New play to Commemorate the Hunger Strikes

antrim | arts and media | event notice Sunday September 17, 2006 16:38 by Sinéad Ní Bhroin

written by Laurence McKeown

New play to Commemorate the Hunger Strikes

Dubbeljoint Theatre Company presents Laurence McKeown’s new play

The Official Version

At The Rock Theatre, Whiterock Road, Belfast 18th – 23rd September @ 8pm

Box Office 028 9020 222 Tickets £7

Rest of country tour dates & venues listed at the end of this posting

Literally days after “Remnants Of Fear” is over Dubbeljoint have launched themselves right into rehearsals for yet another new play this year. A play that is very different in content and style to Mitchell’s summer hit will coincide with the 25th Anniversary commemorations of the Hunger Strikes. The play is set in Long Kesh in 2006. Plans are already advanced to develop the site, including part of it as a museum to include the prison hospital where ten prisoners died on hunger strike in 1981 and where up to 400 men were on the blanket protest. The play follows Annie and her daughter, Theresa as they take a tour of the prison. Annie’s son Gerard has been imprisoned in the H blocks during the blanket protest and hunger strike and both Annie and Theresa had been regular visitors to the prison during that time. Two others are also visiting the prison, Robert an NIO official attached to the Prison Department, and Julie, a mature student researching the prison. As the four make their way around the prison they discover that each of them has a very different memory and knowledge of the place and what it means to them. The play also explores the idea that prison has any role to play in political resolutions.

Laurence McKeown – Writer
Laurence spent 70 days on the 1981 hunger strike and it is from that perspective that he writes this new play. Laurence looks at the personal grief and human devastation that the hungers strikes left behind and the personal and political gains that were created by it. As the characters walk through the deserted prison memories are provoked and different viewpoints are explored. The play is a moving and thoughtful look at the hunger strikes 25 years on by one of its participants. Laurence was imprisoned in the H Blocks from 1976-1992 and now works with Coiste na n-larchimi, an umbrella organization for 24 republican ex-prisoner self help groups throughout Ireland. Laurence along with Brian Campbell previously wrote “A Cold House” and “The Laughter of Our Children” for Dubbeljoint.

The cast includes: Maria Connolly, Sorcha Meehan, Rosena Brown and Gerry Doherty.

18th – 23rd September 2006
To arrange an interview with the Writer, Director or cast please contact Anne-Marie at Dubbeljoint on 028 9020 2222 or annemarie@dubbeljoint.com

Tour Details
25th September Linenhall Theatre, Castlebar

26th September Town hall Theatre, Galway

27th September Ramor Theatre, Virginia, Cavan

28th September Moneyglass Community Centre, Antrim

29th September Inniskeen, Monaghan

30th September Ti Chulainn Centre, Mullaghbawn

2nd October Roddy McCorley Social Club, Belfast

3rd October Guildhall, Derry

5th October St.Kevins Hall, Belfast

6th October Bluestack Centre, Mountcharles, Donegal

7th – 8th October Craic Theatre, Coalisland

11th October Lisnaskea, Fermanagh

12th October Balor Theatre, Ballybofey

13th October Ghaoth Dobhair, Donegal

14th-15th October Gulladuff Cultural Centre, Derry