Fishamble: The New Play Company
  • Home
  • About
    • Meet the Team
    • Board & Governance
    • Community Engagement
    • Research
    • Encore
    • Fishamble Diaries
    • News
  • Productions
    • 2023 Programme
    • The Humours of Bandon
    • 2022 Programme
      • Heaven
      • Mustard
      • OUTRAGE
      • Pat Kinevane Plays
        • KING
        • Before
        • Silent
        • Forgotten
        • Underneath
      • The Treaty
      • Duck Duck Goose
    • 35 years of Fishamble
  • Artist Supports
    • 2022 Transantlantic Commissions Programme
    • Playwriting Courses
    • New Play Clinic
    • Send Us Your Writing
    • Fishamble New Writing Award
    • Mentoring & Workshops
    • Duets
  • Support Fishamble
    • Become a Friend
    • Donate
    • Corporate Membership
    • Sponsorship
    • Thank you
  • Tiny Plays
    • Tiny Plays for a Brighter Future
    • Tiny Plays for a Brighter Future Challenge
    • Tiny Plays 24/7
    • #TinyPlayChallenge
    • Tiny Plays for Ireland and America
    • Tiny Plays for Ireland 2
    • Tiny Plays for Ireland
  • Calendar
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Mustard
  • Home
  • About
    • Meet the Team
    • Board & Governance
    • Community Engagement
    • Research
    • Encore
    • Fishamble Diaries
    • News
  • Productions
    • 2023 Programme
    • The Humours of Bandon
    • 2022 Programme
      • Heaven
      • Mustard
      • OUTRAGE
      • Pat Kinevane Plays
        • KING
        • Before
        • Silent
        • Forgotten
        • Underneath
      • The Treaty
      • Duck Duck Goose
    • 35 years of Fishamble
  • Artist Supports
    • 2022 Transantlantic Commissions Programme
    • Playwriting Courses
    • New Play Clinic
    • Send Us Your Writing
    • Fishamble New Writing Award
    • Mentoring & Workshops
    • Duets
  • Support Fishamble
    • Become a Friend
    • Donate
    • Corporate Membership
    • Sponsorship
    • Thank you
  • Tiny Plays
    • Tiny Plays for a Brighter Future
    • Tiny Plays for a Brighter Future Challenge
    • Tiny Plays 24/7
    • #TinyPlayChallenge
    • Tiny Plays for Ireland and America
    • Tiny Plays for Ireland 2
    • Tiny Plays for Ireland
  • Calendar
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Mustard
3 Great Denmark Street
Dublin 1, Ireland
D01 NV63

info@fishamble.com
+353 1 670 4018
@fishamble
​#fishamble30


Registered Charity
No. CHY 20103958.
​
​

#Plays on a Train: Love on a Dart? By Eamonn O'Shiel

13/7/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
​Photograph by Chandrika Narayanan-Mohan
On Sunday 24th June 2018, Fishamble and Irish Rail partnered to create a day-long playwriting workshop between Dublin and Bray called #PlaysonaTrain, taking place on train carriages and in Bray itself. 9 playwrights were chosen from a social media competition, and by the end of the day these playwrights had each written a short play based on trains. 

LOVE ON A DART? by Eamonnn O'Shiel

A quite full Dart Carriage at Pearse Station, the station piano is playing the ‘Marino Waltz’. A man carrying a large bunch of flowers enters the carriage. He stands near centre stage and holds onto the strap above his head.

V.O.: This train is for Bray, Bre.

The tune changes to 'Something Stupid', a woman enters. The carriage is now packed She struggles through the ‘crowd to stand facing the man, close but not touching. She carries a handbag. She reaches up to hold the strap above her. She takes a step backwards, he takes a step forwards as the train starts to move. The flowers touch her face and as they return to original positions she sneezes.

Together they say:

HIM: Bless you.

HER: Excuse me. 

She looks at the flowers.

HER: Oh, I'm sorry I think I dead headed your tulip.

Although their eyes never meet except when actually talking they are constantly looking at each other then away.

HIM: It's alright I can afford to lose a tulip or two.

HER: They're really beautiful.

Again we hear ‘Something stupid’ being played on a piano as the woman closes her eyes and waltzes around the carriage holding her handbag as if it were her dance partner. She returns to where she started from.

HIM: I'm glad you think so,.......serious brownie points needed.

HER: Ah, I see.

HIM: No, it's not what you think, they're for my sister.

HER: Really!!?

HIM: Yes, for Mother’s Day.

HER: UhHu.....that was last Sunday week.

HIM: Yes, I've been away. Sarah, my sister minded the twins for me. She's a hero.

HER: Ah, I see.

HIM: She's been great really ever since......

HER: Ever since?.....Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to....

HIM: Pry? No I'm sure you didn't.

She steps closer to him as the train stops. They are very close, touching.

HER: God I'm sorry, this train is so damn packed

HIM: It was.

HER: What?

HIM: It was packed. It's loosened out quite a bit now.

He takes a step backwards. We hear ‘Marino Waltz’ on the piano again and this time he waltzes about her, dancing with the flowers. He dances back to where he started from.

HIM: See?

HER: OH,....yes.

He steps back in to her as the train starts again. She doesn't retreat. Neither move. They are looking into each other’s eyes.

HER: The twins?

HIM: Hmm?

HER: You said your sister minded the twins for you?

He takes a half step backwards.

HIM: Oh, yeah, she's great. Loves them like they were her own, and those boys can be a handful sometimes.

HER: Twin boys? Really? What age are they?

HIM: Four…….and three quarters!

V.O. Next station, Sidney Parade.

HER: Oh shit I’ve missed my stop.

HIM: Oh, don’t worry, so have I.

‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off you’ plays as they drop the flowers and handbag to the floor and waltz together around the carriage.
 
END

​​Eamonn O’Shiel has been involved in Amateur drama in Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford for over 30 years. A retired Garda and graduate of Bray Institute of Further Education (Performing Arts) he is now trying his hand at writing for the stage and looks forward to developing this craft further.

Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2022
    May 2021
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    June 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    November 2017

    Categories

    All
    A PLAY FOR IRELAND
    #PlaysonaTrain
    #TinyPlayChallenge
    Tiny Play For A Brighter Future

    RSS Feed

​Want to be the first to know about our upcoming events and programmes? Sign up to our newsletter below.

Fishamble: The New Play Company is supported by

Picture
Picture
Picture
 
©2022 Fishamble Theatre Company All Rights Reserved. Registered Company No. 168484
Fishamble Theatre Company is a not for profit organisation and a registered charity with a valid charitable taxation exemption from the Revenue Commissioners. Registered Charity No. CHY 20103958.

Privacy Policy ​
  • Home
  • About
    • Meet the Team
    • Board & Governance
    • Community Engagement
    • Research
    • Encore
    • Fishamble Diaries
    • News
  • Productions
    • 2023 Programme
    • The Humours of Bandon
    • 2022 Programme
      • Heaven
      • Mustard
      • OUTRAGE
      • Pat Kinevane Plays
        • KING
        • Before
        • Silent
        • Forgotten
        • Underneath
      • The Treaty
      • Duck Duck Goose
    • 35 years of Fishamble
  • Artist Supports
    • 2022 Transantlantic Commissions Programme
    • Playwriting Courses
    • New Play Clinic
    • Send Us Your Writing
    • Fishamble New Writing Award
    • Mentoring & Workshops
    • Duets
  • Support Fishamble
    • Become a Friend
    • Donate
    • Corporate Membership
    • Sponsorship
    • Thank you
  • Tiny Plays
    • Tiny Plays for a Brighter Future
    • Tiny Plays for a Brighter Future Challenge
    • Tiny Plays 24/7
    • #TinyPlayChallenge
    • Tiny Plays for Ireland and America
    • Tiny Plays for Ireland 2
    • Tiny Plays for Ireland
  • Calendar
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Mustard