Graphic Design & Photograph by Publicis Dublin
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Fishamble: The New Play Company,
in association with Draíocht, The Everyman, Lime Tree Theatre/Belltable, Lyric Theatre, Pavilion Theatre, and Town Hall Theatre, presents The AlternativeBy Michael Patrick and Oisín Kearney
What if Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom? What if Home Rule had passed? What if there was no War of Independence? No Civil War? No partition? What if the island had only one soccer team? The year is 2019 and it is the eve of the Referendum. British Prime Minister Ursula Lysaght is returning to her hometown of Dublin to convince voters to Remain. With the threat of chaos in the streets, and personal conflict behind the scenes, the final debate is set to begin at BBC Dublin: Should Ireland leave the UK? WINNER Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards 2019, for Best Director
WINNER Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards 2019, for Best Soundscape 'An irreverent, hugely entertaining political satire that brilliantly reflects Ireland right here, right now.’ |
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CastKaren Ardiff
Lorcan Cranitch Maeve Fitzgerald Fionntan Larney Rory Nolan Rachel O'Byrne Arthur Riordan |
Prevous Tour Dates
2019: A Play For Ireland Tour
18 - 21 Sep: THE EVERYMAN, Cork
24 - 29 Sep: PAVILION THEATRE, Dún Laoghaire
1 Oct: TOWN HALL THEATRE, Galway
3 Oct: BELLTABLE, Limerick
4 - 5 Oct: DRAÍOCHT, Blanchardstown
8 - 13 Oct: LYRIC THEATRE, Belfast
18 - 21 Sep: THE EVERYMAN, Cork
24 - 29 Sep: PAVILION THEATRE, Dún Laoghaire
1 Oct: TOWN HALL THEATRE, Galway
3 Oct: BELLTABLE, Limerick
4 - 5 Oct: DRAÍOCHT, Blanchardstown
8 - 13 Oct: LYRIC THEATRE, Belfast
Production Shots
Photographs by Patrick Redmond.
Reviews
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'An irreverent, hugely entertaining political satire that brilliantly reflects Ireland right here, right now.’
★★★★★ The Sunday Times 'Bitingly current... fantastically provocative drama... Its invention shines out in a festival lineup' ★★★★ Financial Times 'hugely entertaining… One of the cleverest, funniest, Irish political comedies in recent years.' ★★★★ The Arts Review ‘a highlight of the year… Everything about the show is first rate… stroke of brilliance… very funny. Do not miss this show’ Irish Independent |
'The dialogue is both wicked and intelligent... a top-class, edgy, no-expense spared production under Jim Culleton's fast paced acute direction, with superb performances from all concerned.'
Sunday Independent 'Brilliant… absolutely delicious, it’s full of pathos… hugely entertaining, a great laugh, a great night out... If you can catch it, do.' Pat Kenny, Newstalk 'Fantastic show...I loved every minute of it.' Claire Byrne, RTÉ |
Meet the Team
Michael Patrick and Oisín Kearney
Playwrights |
Michael Patrick (actor & writer from Belfast) and Oisín Kearney (director & writer from Warrenpoint) met at the University of Cambridge where they began making theatre together and ran the University's Ireland society. They then formed Pan Narrans Theatre in Belfast. Last year they co-wrote the award-winning My Left Nut, which was developed through the Show in a Bag programme run by Fishamble, The ITI and The Dublin Fringe. Over the past year they've been a part of the BBC Belfast Voices screenwriting scheme, have written for BBC NI's Soft Border Patrol and were shortlisted to write for BBC 3's The Break.
Oisín directs both theatre and documentary films. He localised Willy Russell's script of Educating Rita to 1980s Belfast for the Lyric Theatre and was Assistant Director on the project. He was Assistant Director on the Lyric’s production of Good Vibrations and worked closely with Colin Carberry and Glen Patterson on their translation of the story from screen to stage. Oisín has Assistant Produced a number of feature length documentaries and has directed a number of short films. His first feature as Director will premiere on April 28 at Hot Docs Film Festival in Toronto. As an actor Michael has worked with The Abbey, The Lyric, Tinderbox, NI Opera and has appeared on Game of Thrones, Death and Nightingales, Krypton, and Soft Border Patrol. He is currently acting in Taming of the Shrew and Measure for Measure for the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2019 season. |
Jim Culleton
Director |
Jim Culleton is the artistic director of Fishamble, for which he has directed productions in Ireland, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the US. His productions for Fishamble have won many international awards, including an Olivier Award for Silent by Pat Kinevane. He has also directed for the Abbey Theatre, Gaiety, 7:84 (Scotland), Project, the Ark, RTÉ, the Belgrade, TNL Canada, Dundee Rep, Amharclann de hIde, Tinderbox, The Passion Machine, Second Age, TCD, CoisCéim/Crash Ensemble/GIAF,Vessel (Australia), Odyssey (LA), Kennedy Center, and Solas Nua (Washington DC), Origin, Irish Arts Center, 59E59, and IAC/Symphony Space Broadway (New York). Jim has taught for NYU, NUIM, GSA, Uversity, the Lir, Notre Dame, UM, Villanova, UMD, TCD and UCD.
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Karen Ardiff
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Karen Ardiff was born in Dublin and graduated from the Samuel Beckett Centre in TCD. Karen most recent screen appearances include the Oscar nominated Brooklyn directed by John Crowley as well as RTEs Acceptable Risk. Other Previous Film/TV includes The Bookshop (Isabel Coixet), Noble (nominated for several international awards and three IFTAs), A Terrible Beauty… (Tile Films) as well as Evelyn. Karen most recently appeared on stage in the highly successful show The Unmanageable Sisters on the Abbey Stage in the leading role of Rose, and Fishamble’s Rathmines Road by Deirdre Kinahan (2018). Other recent stage credits include: Normal (Maisie Lee, WeGetHighonthisCollective), Angela’s Ashes (Thom Sutherland, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre), Oedipus (Wayne Jordan, The Abbey Theatre), Peer Gynt (Lynne Parker, Rough Magic – Irish Times Best Supporting Actress nomination), Threepenny Opera (Wayne Jordan, The Gate Theatre) Steel Magnolias (The Gaiety Theatre), and Love in the Title (Abbey/International tour – ESB/Irish Times Best Actress Award). Work with other companies includes: The Colleen Bawn (Bedrock – Irish Times Best Supporting Actress nomination), The Stuff of Myth (Crazy Dog Audio Theatre & Lane Productions) and Helene Hannf in 84 Charing Cross Road (Andrews Lane Theatre – Irish Times Best Actress nomination for both). Karen has also performed in numerous radio dramas including: Duet (Newstalk), Tempting Faith and Greed is Good (BBC4).
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Lorcan Cranitch
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Lorcan Cranitch began working in the early 1980’s in theatre in the UK He has been busy on both sides of the Irish Sea ever since. In Dublin, he has worked mainly at the Abbey and Gate theatres, in plays by Tom Murphy, Brian Friel, Frank McGuinness, Arthur Miller, Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde and Chekhov. In the UK, he has worked with major repertory companies, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and the West End. His film and television work includes, The Dig. Dancing at Lughnasa, Ballykisangel, Waking the Dead, Spooks, Omagh, ROME, Shackleton, and Cracker.
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Maeve Fitzgerald
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Maeve Fitzgerald is a graduate of the Bachelor in Acting Studies at the Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College.
Recent theatre includes: The Thing About December and The Mai (Decadent Theatre), Wringer (Bewley’s Cafe Theatre), On Raftery’s Hill (Abbey Theatre)- nominee best actress Irish Times Theatre Awards 2019, Holy Mary (Breda Cashe Productions), Bailegangaire (Livin’ Dred/Nomad). Maeve has also appeared in various productions for The Gate Theatre, Verdant Productions, Tron Theatre, ANU, Tall Tales, Second Age and many others. She won best supporting actress for Basin and was nominated best actress for After Miss Julie both at the Irish Times Theatre Awards 2010. She will soon be appearing as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing for Rough Magic at the Kilkenny Arts Festival. |
Fionntán Larney
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Fionntán Larney is a writer and performer from Dublin. Last year, Fionntán graduated from The Lir Academy and wrote 'Beat.' which premiered at the Dublin Fringe Festival, before transferring to the Samuel Beckett Theatre for an extended run. Acting credits include Travesty (The New Theatre) The Lost O'Casey (ANU/Abbey/Gate Theatre) and The Metals (Dublin Theatre Festival)
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Rory Nolan
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Rory Nolan's theatre credits include DruidShakespeare: Richard III, Shelter, Waiting for Godot, DruidShakespeare: Richard II, Henry IV (Pts 1&2), Henry V, The Colleen Bawn, DruidMurphy – Plays by Tom Murphy (Druid). Northern Star, The Critic, Peer Gynt, The Importance of Being Earnest, Don Carlos, The Taming of the Shrew, Improbable Frequency, Is This About Sex? (Rough Magic); Chekhov’s First Play (Dead Centre); Postcards from the Ledge, Breaking Dad, Between Foxrock and a Hard Place, The Last Days of the Celtic Tiger, Sleeping Beauty (Landmark Productions); The Importance of Being Earnest, Bedroom Farce, A Christmas Carol, Death of a Salesman (Gate Theatre); She Stoops to Conquer, Aristocrats, The Government Inspector, Translations, Arrah Na Pogue, Macbeth, The Rivals, Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant, The Comedy of Errors, Heavenly Bodies, Big Love (Abbey Theatre); Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme (Livin’Dred/Nomad); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Corn Exchange); The Evils of Tobacco (Mangiare Theatre). Film & television includes: Acceptable Risk, The Delinquent Season, WILD, Charlie, Fair City, A Thousand Times Goodnight, The Baker Street Irregulars, Trouble in Paradise, Nothing Personal. Awards: Irish Times Irish Theatre Award, Best Supporting Actor (Waiting for Godot).
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Rachel O'Byrne
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Rachel O'Byrne's theatre credits include The Mai (Decadent Theatre Company), Assassins, The Great Gatsby (2017, 2018/19), One for the Road, The Constant Wife (Gate Theatre); The Good Father, At the Ford (Rise Productions); The Sin Eaters (ANU Productions); The Remains of Maisie Duggan, By the Bog of Cats (Abbey Theatre); Brigit (Druid); Othello (Theatre Royal). Film credits include Mammal (Fastnet Films) and Kaleidoscope (The Lir Academy). Rachel trained at The Lir Academy and holds a BA in Drama and French from Trinity College Dublin.
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Arhur Riordan
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Arthur Riordan is an actor and playwright. Arthur last worked with Fishamble on the Irish, UK and Australia tour of Swing. Other recent stage appearances include A Day (Olympia Theatre) From Under the Bed (Big Guerrilla Productions) Krapp’s Last Tape Theatre Royal, Waterford; and Kings of the Kilburn High Road with Livin’ Dred/Verdant productions. He has also worked extensively with Rough Magic (of which he is a founder member), as well as many other leading Irish theatre companies, including the Abbey and Peacock, Druid, Gaiety, Corca Dorca, and Pan Pan. Arthur has also made numerous television and film appearances, including Out of Here, Ripper Street, Stella Days, Killinaskully, The Tudors, Fair City, The Clinic, The Baker Street Irregulars, The Chosen, Borstal Boy, Rat, The Last September, and Pitch n’ Putt with Beckett n’ Joyce. Arthur's writing includes the stage adaptation of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, libretto for Andrew Synnott’s opera Dubliners for Opera Theatre Company; book and lyrics for the hit musical The Train; an adaptation of Ibsen's Peer Gynt; book and lyrics for the multi-award-winning hit musical Improbable Frequency and a one-man show, The Emergency Session (all for Rough Magic); a stage adaptation of Flann O'Brien's Slattery’s Sago Saga (for The Performance Corporation); Love Me?! (for The Corn Exchange), and two collaborations with Des Bishop – Rap Eire (for Bickerstaffe), and Shooting Gallery (for Bedrock Productions).
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