THE MAN IN THE WOMAN'S SHOES Travels Across Ireland This May

Award-winning actor and director Mikel Murfi is set to tour his one man show The Man in the Woman's Shoes to 17 venues across Ireland this May, stopping in Roscommon for a performance at Roscommon Arts Centre on Friday 3rd May.

The show was commissioned by Sligo Arts Office and the Hawk's Well Theatre in Sligo as part of the Bealtaine Festival. Beginning in 2013 Mikel traveled to meet with older people across county Sligo to gather stories. Tales emerged of characters who lived in Sligo town and county - characters who likely live in every part of Ireland. From the memories, tales and experiences gifted to him, Mikel has made a show that brings these stories back to the people who told them in the first place.

It's October 1978 and Pat Farnon has some business to do in town. It's a ten-mile round trip and it's no joke when you have to do it walking, it in a pair of women's shoes. As he makes the trip from his little cottage to town and back again, Pat Farnon meets little marvels along the way. Funny, tender and at times downright daft, The Man in the Woman's Shoes is a charming encounter with a man who has a boundless enthusiasm for life.

Speaking about his experience making The Man in the Woman's Shoes, Sligo native Mikel, says, "I was commissioned to research a play with different groups of older folk and then to bring that work back to them, to perform the play for the various groups I'd met by way of sharing their creativity and hopefully also documenting their lives. It's my way of honouring the wisdom and tenacity and most of all the gentle good humour in all of the people I met while creating the work. I hope that I've somehow captured the spirit of these people in the play."

Mikel Murfi is an actor and director who has worked on some of the most celebrated Irish theatre productions of recent years. He directed B for Baby by Carmel Winters for The Abbey Theatre, which won an Irish Times Theatre Award for Best New Play and Enda Walsh's The Walworth Farce and Penelope for Druid, winners of Scotsman Fringe First Awards. Mikel won an Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Walsh's The New Electric Ballroom for Druid. Mikel worked with over 50 people from active age groups across Sligo to create The Man in the Woman's Shoes, including The Catalysts Writing Club, Cliffoney and Ballintogher Active Age clubs, Forthill Men's History Group amongst others. Mikel then performed the show in various venues in Sligo, places as diverse as St John's Nursing Home, day care centres, parish halls and the Hawk's Well Theatre.

Dominic Campbell, Artistic Director of Bealtaine said, "Mikel embarked on a remarkable journey last year to make this gorgeous piece of theatre which was performed back to the people that inspired it in Sligo. We know it has relevance to audiences of all ages across the country, and are delighted to be bringing this beautiful play to venues nationally this May."

Bealtaine's line-up for May 2013 will see hundreds of theatrical, cinematic, craft, photographic, choral, dance and other events taking place across Ireland, giving people a chance to celebrate creativity as we age, inviting them to "Grow Happy!" - the theme of this year's festival.

Visit www.roscommonartscentre.ie for more information and to buy tickets.

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