Photo credit Hildegard Ryan
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Fishamble: The New Play Company
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Reviews
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‘Part Fleabag, part Marina Abramovic, it straddles the line between theatre and performance art. Eva O’Connor delivers a fiery performance that never wavers in its intensity… Her writing, too, is strong. The script is densely packed with jokes and rich metaphors and she explores the issue of mental health with sensitivity and aplomb.’
★★★★ Irish Times ‘O'Connor is captivating… Hildegard Ryan directs the performance with a confident vision… compelling…the writing has lyrical elegance… A vivid coup de théâtre renders it totally unforgettable.’ Irish Independent ‘A powerful metaphor for year of upheaval…Really deserves a wider audience.’ ★★★★ Sunday Business Post ‘so scarring and funny, so laden with jealousy and hate and wickedness…The stagecraft is starkly simple, the set could be a work of conceptual art, but delicious and shocking to watch, if not to eat…What a privilege to see this …if you want to see a bit of real theatre, go see Mustard.’ ★★★★ Scotsman ‘scorching, honest and brutally nuanced…a confident and sensitive performance… beautifully crafted, with real elegance, subtlety and humour…Mustard has already caused something of a stir at the Fringe and is well worth a punt, if you can get your hands on a ticket.’ ★★★★ A Younger Theatre ‘O’Connor’s writing and her portrayal of this damaged and passionate character is powerful, making Mustard a standout play that should be on your list to check out this Fringe.’ ★★★★★ The Clothes Line |
‘with Eva O’Connor’s fiery and intense performance, you can’t help but stay fixated on her…Funny, touching, sad and all too easy to relate to, Mustard showcases some amazing storytelling…I left the show blown away by her strong and captivating solo performance. Strong, like mustard.’
★★★★ Three Weeks Eva O’Connor has a fierce presence, as hot, fiery and burning as the mustard of her play… skilful writing elevates this above novelty into a breathless, intense show’ ★★★★★ Ed Fest Mag ‘one-woman show about heart break and madness is crammed with life, wit and tragedy…words dance through the audience, propelled across the room by her rich, powerful voice…O’Connor has created a form that fits her story, like mustard fits pastrami…a play that gets under your skin and does not leave. ★★★★ Broadway Baby ‘Eva O’Connor’s solo show straddles the line between dramatic monologue and performance art…The writing is appealingly spicy and has real poetic momentum’ The Stage ‘This piquant solo play, from the much-admired Eva O’Connor [is] humorous and impish – a delight to see performed – but at times it’s also heart-rending…it has eloquence and poetry to complement its lively humour…Like the condiment itself, then, Mustard delivers a hit of both exhilarating pleasure and bitter pain.’ ★★★★ The Wee Review ‘We are always in need of new ways to explore heartbreak, and Mustard – through the art of storytelling and the aid of potent symbolism – provides us with just that.’ ★★★★★ InDaily 'The script, intelligent as it is, truly comes alive through O’Connor’s pacey and dynamic delivery. Her embodiment of other characters, or E’s version of these characters, is immense.' ★★★★★ Binge Fringe |
Production Shots
Photos by Jassy Earl
Previous Performances
2023 Touring
14 February - 19 March: The Arch, Holden Street Theatres, Adelaide Fringe Festival
16 May - 3 June: Arcola Theatre, Dalston, London
2022 Touring
28 April: The 22nd Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, The Black Box, Belfast
3-28 August: Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Summerhall, Main Hall
30 September: Theatre Royal, Waterford
2021 Virtual Touring
23 April: Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny
28 April: Limetree Theatre, Limerick
29 April: Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar
30 April: An Grianan, Letterkenny
04 May: Theatre Royal, Waterford
05 May: Backstage Theatre, Longford
06 May: Siamsa Tire, Tralee
07 May: Town Hall Theatre, Galway
16 - 20 Aug: Summerhall Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe
2020 Irish and International Touring
15 - 18 Sept: Peacock Stage, Abbey Theatre Dublin Fringe Festival
19 Sept: GLÓR, Ennis
1 - 14 Dec: Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh (online)
14 February - 19 March: The Arch, Holden Street Theatres, Adelaide Fringe Festival
16 May - 3 June: Arcola Theatre, Dalston, London
2022 Touring
28 April: The 22nd Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, The Black Box, Belfast
3-28 August: Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Summerhall, Main Hall
30 September: Theatre Royal, Waterford
2021 Virtual Touring
23 April: Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny
28 April: Limetree Theatre, Limerick
29 April: Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar
30 April: An Grianan, Letterkenny
04 May: Theatre Royal, Waterford
05 May: Backstage Theatre, Longford
06 May: Siamsa Tire, Tralee
07 May: Town Hall Theatre, Galway
16 - 20 Aug: Summerhall Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe
2020 Irish and International Touring
15 - 18 Sept: Peacock Stage, Abbey Theatre Dublin Fringe Festival
19 Sept: GLÓR, Ennis
1 - 14 Dec: Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh (online)
Meet the Team
Eva O'Conor
Writer & Performer |
Eva O'Connor is a writer and performer from Ogonnelloe, Co. Clare. She studied English and German at Edinburgh University before completing an MA in theatre ensemble from Rose Bruford drama school in London.
Her plays include My Best Friend Drowned in a Swimming Pool, Kiss Me and You Will See How Important I Am, My Name is Saoirse, Overshadowed, The Friday Night Effect (co-written with Hildegard Ryan), Maz and Bricks, and Mustard (Fringe First winner 2019, Lustrum Award 2019). Eva's runs her own company Sunday's Child, with Hildegard Ryan. Eva has won various awards for her work including Best Emerging Artist Award, 2012 (Edinburgh Fringe), First Fortnight Award, 2014 (Dublin Fringe), Argus Angel Award, 2015 (Brighton Fringe), Fishamble Award for Best New Writing, 2015, Best Theatre Award, 2017 (Adelaide Fringe), Scotsman Fringe First Award in 2019 (Edinburgh Fringe) and Lustrum Award 2019 (Edinburgh Fringe). Her play Overshadowed was recently adapted for television by BBC Three and Rollem productions, directed by Hildegard Ryan. It won Best Drama at the Mind Media Award 2019. Eva has also written for radio. Her play My Name is Saoirse was adapted for radio by RTÉ Radio 1 and Eva's short story The Midnight Sandwich was recently aired on BBC radio 4. |
Hildegard Ryan
Director |
Hildegard Ryan is a director in theatre and TV, hailing from Skerries co. Dublin. Hildegard studied English and History in Trinity College Dublin, and Film Production at CFS London. Her graduation short film was selected for the Cannes Film Fest short film corner in 2014.
Hildegard has collaborated with Eva O’Connor since 2013. She directed My Name is Saoirse, (winner of First Fortnight Award at the Dublin Fringe 2014, the Argus Angel at the Brighton Fringe 2015, and the Best Theatre Award at the Adelaide Fringe 2017.) She directed Overshadowed for the stage, and for its BBC3 screen adaptation. Overshadowed was nominated for a 2018 Rose d’Or Award and won the Mind Media Award for best drama in 2018. With O’Connor, Hildegard has co-written and directed The Friday Night Effect, which debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017. Most recently, she directed O’Connor’s Mustard which won a Fringe First and the Summerhall Lustrum award at the Edinburgh Fringe 2019. Having directed a standalone episode for series 7, Hildegard has just wrapped on directing four episodes of The Dumping Ground series 8 for CBBC. |
