JOYCE'S WOMEN By Edna O'Brien Will Open at the Abbey This September

One of Ireland's greatest contemporary writers, Edna O'Brien, turns her attention to the life of one of the country's greatest novelists, James Joyce, in a powerful new play Joyce's Women. Written for the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Ulysses, this world premiere from Edna O'Brien gives voice to the women who were central to the life of James Joyce.

"Over two years ago, I was invited by the Abbey management to write a play on James Joyce and I knew I was entering a maze. He had been my ultimate hero for sixty years, but to paint the canvas of his life was daunting. There were the hundreds of books, the regurgitated chants of Academia, the vicissitudes of his life, penury, lawsuits, vicious relegation- "Hang the Heretic" and so much else. Moreover, drama is drama. Therefore, I decided to depict him as seen by the key figures in his life- Mother, Wife, Mistress of a fleeting moment, his patron Harriet Weaver and his beloved Daughter Lucia, of whom he said her mind was but a transparent leaf away from his. James A Joyce actually walked into a dream of mine and was the summons to me, to carry on. My private title for the play was " Killallhooley" but it has been re-christened "Joyce's Women". - Edna O'Brien

"Edna O Brien's latest work Joyce's Women is a dream play. It examines the triumvirate of women who influenced James Joyce, his life and work and bringing this brand-new play by Edna before an audience is wildly exciting." - Caitríona McLaughlin, Artistic Director of the Abbey Theatre.

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