Jini Rooney - Page 2

Tennessee Williams in his essay 'The Catastrophe of Success' paints a poignant picture of his life following the startling success of his play The Glass Menagerie. He confides: “I was not aware of how much vital energy had gone into this struggle until the struggle was removed.” Seven decades later Williams' masterpiece remains a staple in American schools and continues to profoundly move audiences. In this “memory play” the Wingfields, a disenchanted St. Louis family, depict an alternative reality to their dull, dispiriting lives. The son and narrator, Tom Wingfield (Marty Rea) escapes to a brighter envisioned future, his mother Amanda (Samantha Bond) reaches into her glorious past in an attempt to fashion a similar reality for her daughter, and his painfully shy sister Laura (Zara Devlin) reluctantly emerges from the blissful world of her glass menagerie to entertain the possibility of love. Jim O'Conner (Frank Blake), the gentleman caller, appears in Act 2 oblivious of the complex family dynamics.

In this THEATREclub & Abbey co-production, 13 disgruntled millennials are intent on single-handedly annihilating capitalism. The set is the Absent Factory, a dystopian simulation of a Foxconn iPhone factory complete with production line and fuschia-lit control room. A motley crew of random homeless individuals are recruited to participate in a social experiment highlighting the injustices of capitalism. Impersonating Chinese factory workers at the Absent Factory they protest against the inhumane working conditions burning their own phones in defiance. The assembly line becomes a hijacked Speaker's Corner where the evils of capitalism are broadcast.

I was prepared for controversial and shocking, for colourful language and violence. Yet the opening scene still had me reeling. Writer David Ireland clearly thrives on the taboo and no person or subject is immune. A seemingly innocuous setting: the director's lounge. On the eve of rehearsals for a new play, a British director, Northern Irish playwright and American movie star gather to cement their collaboration.

The Complex warehouse in Smithfield, frigid, starkly lit and rigged with tenement flats at opposing ends with the audience seated on the long axes sandwiching the stage. We are shivering despite the generously provided blankets. As the harrowing stories unravel the temperature plummets further. Writer Tracy Martin, Director and Producer Vanessa Fielding and Producer Phil Kingston give us a brutally honest glimpse into life at the extreme depths of poverty in Dublin.

Formerly banned by the Irish censorship board in 1950's Ireland, The Country Girls tells the tale of love in all its incarnations: unconditional, dutiful, compassionate, possessive, devoted, illicit, unrequited, first love. Two fiercely smart young girls have their delicate bonds cemented during a fateful day of triumph and tragedy. Kate (Grace Collender) and Baba (Lola Petticrew) were a marvellous double act. Solemn friends, confidants, partners in crime, frenemies. Youthful (were they 16 or were they 24?) and delightfully polished actors, Kate and Baba navigated us through the turbulent waters of innocent, naive love. With the blind leading the blind, we witnessed their recurrent shipwrecks in slow motion, then they resolutely reassembled and set sail again.

The comforting cacophony of blaring sirens. A kaleidoscope of scents: sweet and foul. The perpetual surge of humanity. All the things I love most about New York City. Into the melee, in a neighborhood coffee shop, a love triangle unfolds. Carrie O'Keefe (Sorcha Fenlon), a budding young Irish artist making ends meet as a barista, her smooth talking fiance, Hank Midden (Andrew Smyth) and big shot lawyer Jeremy Croker (Carl Stallwood) who has fallen under her spell.

Never underestimate the power of our youth. In this case the united voice of 7 exceptional high-school girls: Amal Azuddin, Emma Clifford, Jennifer McCarron, Agnesa Murselaj, Roza Salih, Ewelina Siwak and Toni-Lee Henderson, aka: The Glasgow Girls. This is an enjoyable musical about teen activists, fighting for the rights of asylum seekers in their school and community in Glasgow. It features conscientious and gutsy neighbours who stick out their necks to protect cherished friends and a perceptive teacher who recognises and nurtures the fires of justice in his pupils.

Have you ever pondered over a shocking news story and thought: what possibly could have possessed that individual to behave in that erratic manner? Philip Ridley tackles that question not once but twice in his 2 plays: Tonight with Donny Stixx and Dark Vanilla Jungle. Playwright, Philip Ridley has achieved a remarkable feat. In a mere 75 minutes, he gives you a complete snapshot of a young person's life. Their hopes, fears, prejudices, and desires. Their blinding pride and protective ignorance. Their primal urge for love and acceptance.

Imagine your absolute favorite story. Swap the protagonist for a bicycle-averse sergeant, an amiable but soused philosopher, a fellow tippler a few shillings short of a pound and a publican with a brain that should be pickled for posterity. Scour the stage for 4 exceptional Irish actors to narrate the tale and then assemble them in the one location in Ireland where the finest stories are exchanged - a public house. Furnish them with one of Ireland's savviest wordsmiths and the result is unquestionably a treat.

On September 11th 2001, whilst unimaginable horrors were unfolding on one island, on another island 1500 miles NE, an entire village rallied together opening their hearts and homes to help 7000 strangers. Amongst the countless stories of bravery, sacrifice, resilience and camaraderie across the globe on 9/11, this story of Gander is a simple blueprint for the unfathomable depths of human kindness.

A volatile cocktail: World War 2. Stormy politics. Nationalism. Fascism. Power. Propaganda. High treason. Playwright, Thomas Kilroy's illuminating script spotlights two Irishmen, both influential political wrestlers and unintentional opponents in the WW2 arena.

Theater heaven. A rare occurrence when every component of a production converges in perfect harmony to create a tour de force. Druid Theatre Company have accomplished this with their current production of Richard III. Adding pizzazz, Opening Night was attended by a fine complement of glitterati from Irish radio, theater, and screen.

Writer and actress Gina Moxley stumbled upon the 1965 film Three Approaches to Psychotherapy (aka The Gloria Films) whilst residing in New York City. Set in the USA, the documentary-turned-movie centers around Gloria Szymanski a 30 year-old discontent divorcee who is filmed receiving distinctly different counseling sessions from 3 renowned psychotherapists.

Strap yourself in for a high octane ride from the mini metropolis of Prospect, Galway to the bright lights of the Eurovision Song Contest and back again with Fionn Foley's uproarious one-man farce. Foley plays Brendan Galileo, an earnest and ambitious young man who tries his hand in local politics with the sole intent to overturn the system's archaic bureaucracy.

Writer Michael West artfully distills the dark essence of Mary Shelley's classic into a fateful 70 minutes, gratifying literary scholars and beguiling newcomers. I imagine Director Muireann Ahern enjoyed collaborating with her colleague, Louis Lovett, to unsettle and bewitch the audience. (Ahearn & Lovett are Joint Artistic Directors of Theatre Lovett.) Lovett was triumphant as both Victor Frankenstein and Frankenstein's monster, undertaking his heinous crusade with aplomb.

Jimmy's Hall is based on the true story of a tin barn built on a farm in Leitrim by Jimmy Gralton in the 1920s. His vision of a haven for the local community to congregate for music, dance and lively discourse is perceived as a menace by the local establishment, including the Catholic Church, then at the height of their influence in Ireland. The church soon wield their political influence to banish the 'revolutionary' Gralton from Ireland.

Come on Home is a quintessentially Irish tale exploring the fragile yet resilient bonds of family against a backdrop of sexual intolerance, rejection and regret. Playwright Philip McMahon's new narrative dredges the murky waters of small-town Irish prejudice and presents it compassionately without bias or judgement.

On Thursday, June 16th, 1904 a young man and his new belle spent their first day together wandering the streets of Dublin. The experience had such a profound impact on him that over the following 2 decades he commemorated the milestone by writing a fictional account about the lives of a group of Dubliners on that eventful day. The young man was James Joyce, that day is now universally known as Bloomsday, and his immortal novel, is Ulysses.

Pan Pan Theatre Company presents the 10th incarnation of The Rehearsal, Playing the Dane since its premiere at the Dublin Theatre Festival in 2010. Director, Gavin Quinn wields his poetic license to challenge and stimulate his audience in this experimental production.