Double Cross 2018 Programme

THE LYRIC THEATRE & ABBEY THEATRE

DOUBLE CROSS

DURING WWII A PROPAGANDA BATTLE ENSUES BETWEEN IRISHMEN BRENDAN BRACKEN AND WILLIAM JOYCE, BETTER KNOWN AS LORD HAW HAW

Written by Thomas Kilroy

Directed by Jimmy Fay

A NOTE FROM JIMMY FAY, DIRECTOR

Welcome to the Lyric theatre and our co-production with the Abbey Theatre of Thomas Kilroy’s Double Cross

Thomas Kilroy is one of our most venerable and inspirational playwrights. He has had a long and distinguished career. His oeuvre is highly adventurous, erudite and idiosyncratic. One of his favourite themes is to place the non-conformist, the eponymous outsider, the stranger at the centre of events.

In Double Cross it is the doppelgänger device. The double. Brendan Bracken and William Joyce. We meet both men at a time of individual crisis. Brendan Bracken, at the beginning of the war, is haunted by the Nazi propagandist Lord Haw Haw, William Joyce. Joyce, at the end of the war in the bombed-out radio station that has been his platform to the world, is haunted by the failure of his Nazi ideology to bring in a bright new fascist dawn.

The play is in fact two linked plays which places the lives of two Irish men who emigrated to England just as the south of Ireland gained independence; and consequently metamorphosed into extreme forms of Englishmen. Each rose to extraordinary prominence in war-torn Britain. Although, as Kilroy

proposes, they struggled with their divided Irish/English selves. The Tipperary born Brendan Bracken rose to the very epicentre of power, when England was at her most vulnerable, becoming Minister of Information during WW2. And William Joyce from Galway exploded to notoriety as the bogeyman of blitzed-out British anxiety: Lord Haw Haw, scaring a nation with Nazi propaganda.

When researching this play Thomas went to the BBC archives and listened to both Bracken’s and Joyce’s speeches from the 40s. He says of the experience “There was an eerie similarity in the accents. Both were concoctions with hints of other accents, faint echoes of other lives, below the surface”. This eeriness Kilroy built into his play, which is an uncompromising exploration of identity, power and paranoia.

Why stage Double Cross now thirty years after its first production? Partly because the time is ripe to use a play of such inquisitiveness on the nature of identity and political extremity to examine our own dark times. The 1930’s, the decade that followed on from the great financial crisis of 1929, were called the “low dishonest decade” by poet of the age W.H. Auden; “Waves of anger and fear/circulate over the bright/And darkened lands of

the earth/Obsessing our private lives.” It was a time when extremism came to the fore. When people from afar were blamed for current woes. A time when far right groups made major political gains based on a creed of opportunistic patriotism and enflaming latent racist prejudices. History may repeat, first as tragedy and then as farce. And certainly wherever you look in this era of Brexit, Trump, Putin, you see a lot of tragic farce. This is not to say the present is a reduced legacy on the past but we remain haunted by former atrocities. Like warnings from history.

In the 1930s and the 1940s it was the radio that dominated. And probably no other communication tool has had such a collective effect. If Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre on the Air production of H.G.Wells’ ‘War of the Worlds’ could cause widespread panic in the states in 1938, imagine how the voice of Lord Haw Haw could shred nerves in poor abandoned Britain during the early, desperate, stages of the war. Especially when Hitler seemed unstoppable. The ghoulish, haunting voice calling out through the static of the airwaves “Germany calling, Germany calling”.

The great author George Orwell would go to work for Brendan Bracken in the wartime ministry of information. Orwell became so

deeply suspicious of Bracken’s administration of information and its relation to truth that he invented a language, Newspeak, which he incorporated into his masterpiece 1984. At the centre of this ominous world exists a deity called Big Brother. Who is this character based on exactly? Hitler, Stalin? Some think the clue is in the initials: B.B. Apparently Bracken’s office in the ministry was room 101. Brendan Bracken also makes an appearance in another literary masterpiece, Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited as the social climbing, deceitful Rex Mottram, the callous seducer of the adored Julia. But Julia catches Mottram/Bracken’s character succinctly – “Rex isn’t anybody at all”. She says, “He just doesn’t exist”.

William Joyce’s execution for treason is still debated to this day as “bad law”. Joyce for all his preening wasn’t English as he was American born and raised in Ireland from the age of three. His life and grim end has inspired quite a few biographies including a new one published only last year.

All this and more is explored in Thomas’ fascinating play. We hope you enjoy our production of it.

INTERVIEW: WITH THOMAS KILROY “I WAS A CHILD OF THE HITLER WAR”

NOTE FROM RICHARD WAKELY, BELFAST INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

Welcome to the 2018 edition of the Belfast International Arts Festival and this new production of Thomas Kilroy’s acclaimed play, Double Cross

the face of the growth of populist and nationalist movements and the debate around truth and facts versus “fake news”.

“Double Cross” was first produced in the Guildhall in Derry/ Londonderry as part of the annual Field Day enterprise on 13 February 1986, then toured Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, before transferring to the Royal Court in London. Copyright agent: Alan Brodie Representation Ltd. www.alanbrodie.com

What inspired you to write the play?

Some time in the early days of Field Day, Brian Friel and Stephen Rea came to my home in County Mayo and asked me to write a play for the company. I had just written a radio play about Brendan Bracken for the BBC. I told them that I was now thinking about a stage play bringing in a second man William Joyce, Lord Haw Haw. I told Stephen that I had in mind that both parts would be played by the same actor. Yes, I told him, I had been thinking of him to play both parts. It was a long afternoon of intense conversation. By the time Brian and Stephen left for home I had the shape of the play in my head.

When researching Bracken and Joyce, what similarities and/ or differences struck you most about their characters?

The thing that attracted my interest

was that both of them were Irish and that the Irishness was what drove them to such extremes. They were also contemporaries at a time when Ireland and Europe were going through turbulent times. I had a great personal interest in the Second World War. Indeed, you could say that I was a child of the Hitler war. I felt I could bring all this together in the one play.

Has your perspective on the play changed since it was first performed?

Absolutely. I have actually done some crucial rewriting for this production. I have tried to make Bracken’s obsession with Joyce more dramatic. The myth of fratricide, of Cain and Abel, was in my imagination as I wrote. None of this obsession has any basis in fact. It is all invented. I think the play is better structured now. At least, I hope so!

Do you see any parallels between the play’s themes and the current political climate?

I think we all found echoes in the play of Donald Trump and the rise of right-wing nationalism and fascism in Europe and elsewhere. It is extraordinary that this should be happening all over again, particularly in Germany, Poland and Hungary, places where that savage war was fought on these same issues, all those years ago in the last century.

Whilst at the Abbey Theatre, I was fortunate enough to have worked with Tom on the revival of his play, The Secret Fall of Constance Wilde (Autumn 2000). Like Double Cross it is a technically complex and challenging work. Many of Tom’s plays including these two are about the nature of theatricality. He once said in a press interview “I like to keep the sense of theatricality side by side with the story that I’m telling.” Also central to his work is the quest for the truth. “I think all writing looks for truth,” he says and adds: “I hate making claims for profundity... I would say my plays are concerned with cutting through illusion. But I’m also aware that it’s a kind of fruitless exercise. As we’re constantly surrounded by illusion everywhere, in theatre and life.” The two plays though are very different. The Secret Fall of Constance Wilde explores gender and sexuality through the hidden life of Constance Lloyd, wife of Oscar Wilde whilst Double Cross, set during World War 2, looks at the shortcomings of nationalism through the drama of two real-life Irishmen - Brendan Bracken, British MP and Minister for Information to the government of Winston Churchill, and Nazi propagandist William Joyce (better known as Lord Haw-Haw) – pretending to be otherwise. Both subject matters are keenly relevant in today’s fractious world. Thirty two years after its premiere, Double Cross takes on a new significance in

Double Cross is one of several theatre productions that feature in our special “Homegrown” programme strand that celebrates the work of local artists and theatre companies. Also at the Lyric is the world premiere of Marie Jones’ Dear Arabella whilst the MAC hosts a revival of Hugh Stoddart’s Gibraltar Strait for Brassneck Theatre, a powerful, balanced and thought-provoking verbatim account of eyewitness testimonies and oral recordings from those involved in the shooting of 3 IRA members in Gibraltar in 1988 (23–27 October). Another world premiere, Zoe Seaton and Nicky Harley’s dark and funny Freak Show for Big Telly (31 October to 3 November) is perfect for those seeking spooky theatre thrills over Halloween.

Our success and that of our partners, like the Lyric Theatre, reflects the continued support the Festival receives from our core funders – The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council, the British Council, and Tourism Northern Ireland. Together we are working hard to underscore Belfast’s credentials as a world class centre of arts and culture for all to experience and enjoy.

Richard Wakely Artistic Director and Chief Executive Belfast International Arts Festival

BelfastInternationalArtsFestival.com

#Belfest2018

COSTUME DESIGN

Lord Castlerosse, Lord Beaverbrook (Max Aitnen), Fire Warden, Erich and all other male roles

Sean Kearns

Margaret, Popsie, Journalist and all other female roles:

Charlotte McCurry

Brendan Bracken and William Joyce: Ian Toner

PRODUCTION TEAM

Acting Company Stage Manager

Aimee Yates

Deputy Stage Manager

Stephen Dix

Assistant Stage Manager Kerry McGimpsey

Casting Director: Clare Gault

Acting Technical Manager: Ian Vennard

Technician:

Alan Mooney

Set Builders:

CREDITS & THANKS CAST CREATIVE TEAM

Writer: Thomas Kilroy

Director:

Jimmy Fay

Set Design: Ciaran Bagnall

Costume Design: Gillian Lennox

Lighting Design: Paul Keogan

Sound Design: Chris Warner

Video Design: Neil O’Driscoll

Steven Bamford Phillip Goss

Wardrobe Assistant: Erin Charteris

Costume Maker: Mel Lyle

Hair artist: Kelly McLean

MUA:

Caroline Reynolds

Wig maker: The Natural Hair Company Lisburn

THE LYRIC THEATRE WOULD LIKE TO THANK...

Hollie Morrison

Linda Doogan at Portadown College

Stephen Beggs at Southbank

McCusker Pro Audio

Derek O’Connor

Neil Murray

Graham McLaren

Fiach MacConghail

Aideen Howard

Patricia McBride

Declan Conlon

Catherine Walker

Charlie Bonner

Jessica Traynor

“WE HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR THE ENEMY WITHIN.”

Brendan Bracken

SET DESIGN

“THE SET DESIGN FOR DOUBLE CROSS WAS GREATLY INSPIRED BY THE ART DECO ERA OF THE 1930’S IN IN PARTICULAR THE DESIGN OF THE MARCONI RADIOGRAM. WITHIN THE PLAY THIS DEVICE, AN IMPORTANT TOOL OF PROPAGANDA MACHINE, IS USED AT GREAT AFFECT TO DISTORT AND REINVENT THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY.”

“WHEN A MAN WIPES OUT HIS PAST AND INVENTS HIS OWN FUTURE HE MAY HAVE CRIMINAL OR ARTISTIC TENDENCIES.”

Actress, Double Cross

Set Designer, Ciaran Bagnall, on the design of Double Cross

“QUESTION: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN IRISHMAN’S NEED TO CONCEAL HIS IRISHNESS AND AN ENGLISHMAN’S NEED TO BELIEVE IN THE CONCEALMENT?”

Actor, Double Cross

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! WE CANNOT VOUCH FOR THE ACCURACY OF ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO FOLLOW – EVEN OF WHAT IS VERIFIABLE IN THE HISTORY BOOKS –IT HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER TO MAKE A POINT.”

Actor, Double Cross

MEET THE CAST

SEAN KEARNS CHARLOTTE McCURRY IAN TONER

Lyric Productions include Good Vibrations, Weddins Weans and Wakes, The Crucible, As The Beast Sleeps, Of Mice and Men, The Importance of Being Earnest, Comedians, Oliver, The Sound Of Music, Annie, and Orphans

Other Theatre incudes The Last Ship (UK and Irish Tour) The Comedy About A Bank Robbery (Criterion Theatre) Wicked (Apollo Victoria) The Commitments (Palace Theatre) Billy Elliot the Musical (Victoria Palace) The Thirty Nine Steps (Criterion Theatre) Measure for Measure (Almeida) Henry the Fourth, pts. 1 + 2, Bedlam, A New World and As You Like It, (Shakespeare’s Globe) The Merchant of Venice, The Taming of the Shrew, Macbett, God in Ruins and Macbeth (Royal Shakespeare Company) The Coronation Voyage, The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (Prime Cut) The Chairs, Ruby, Second Hand Thunder (Tinderbox) Jane Eyre, The Importance of Being Earnest and Pride and Prejudice (Gate Theatre Dublin) Northern Star, Digging For Fire, Lady Windermere’s Fan (Rough Magic) In a Little World of Our Own, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Trojan Women, (Abbey Theatre Dublin).

TV: includes As the Beast Sleeps, Ballykissangel, Safe And Sound, Children of the North (BBC), The Governor (Samson Films), Extra Extra! (RTE) and The Last Of The Dying Race (UTV/Ch 4).

FILM: includes Puckoon (Studio Eight Productions/Bord Scannán na hÉireann) Angela’s Ashes (David Brown Prods), Durango (Hallmark Prods).

Charlotte was born and lives in Belfast. She trained at Guildford School of Acting, graduating with first class honours and was the recipient of the Sir Alec Guinness Memorial Award.

Previous work at the Lyric includes; Beauty and the Beast, Little Red Riding Hood & The Big Bad Wolf, The Jungle Book, The Crucible

Other work includes; Annie (Cork Opera House), Nivelli’s War (Lyric Theatre/ New Victory Theatre New York/ Cahoots NI), Pinocchio (The Mac/ Cahoots NI), The Father, The Threepenny Opera (Gate Theatre Dublin), Oedipus, She Stoops to Conquer, The Risen People, The Dead, The Picture of Dorian Gray (Abbey Theatre), Big Maggie, DruidShakespeare, Conversations on a Homecoming (Druid), Northern Star (Rough Magic), Hedda (Green Room), Both Sides (Ransom), The Great Carmo! (Cahoots NI), The Haunting of Helena Blunden (Big Telly), The Famous Five (Tabard Theatre), Kitty and Damnation (Lion & Unicorn), Jack & the Beanstalk (Grand Opera House, Belfast)

Television work includes; The Titanic Inquiry and Our William (BBCNI).

Joyce, Lord Haw Haw

Ian trained at the Gaiety School of Acting.

Lyric Theatre credits: Punk Rock (2015 Nominated Best Supporting Actor Irish Times Theatre Award).

Other Theatre credits: Look Back in Anger, Romeo and Juliet, The Vortex (Gate Theatre), The Shitstorm (Peacock Theatre), Wild Sky (Bewley’s Cafe Theatre, national/ international tour), At the Ford (The New Theatre/DTF).

Film & TV credits: Catch 22 (Paramount/Hulu), Woman in White (BBC), Younger (TV Land), Redwater (BBC), Rebellion (RTE), An Klondike (TG4), We Have Always Lived in the Castle (Castleblackwood), The Cured (Tilted Pictures).

“MY FRIENDS, THE WAR IN THE WEST IS OVER. ONLY ONE ENEMY OF GERMANY REMAINS: ENGLAND.”

William

“THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT DEMOCRACY IF SUCH A TRICKSTER CAN RISE TO THE TOP?”

William Joyce, Lord Haw Haw

“THERE ARE IRISH AND THEN THERE ARE IRISH AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER IRISH.”

Lord Castlerosse

“FREEDOM IS DISTANCE, ACTUALLY. EVERY MAN SHOULD HAVE SPACE BETWEEN HIM AND ANOTHER.”

Brendan Bracken

CREATIVE BIOGRAPHIES

THOMAS KILROY WRITER

Thomas Kilroy has written eighteen plays for the stage, most of which have been performed at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, and a prize-winning novel The Big Chapel. In the 2004 Irish Times Theatre Awards he received a Special Tribute for his contribution to theatre and he was presented with the PEN Ireland Cross Award for his contribution to literature in 2008. He is Emeritus Professor of Modern English at NUI Galway, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College Dublin. In 2016 he was awarded the Ulysses Medal by University College Dublin.

JIMMY FAY DIRECTOR

Jimmy is the Executive Producer of the Lyric Theatre, Belfast, where he has directed productions of Fire Below by Owen McCafferty, The Ladykillers by Graham Linehan, St. Joan by Bernard Shaw, Here Comes the Night by Rosemary Jenkinson, Pentecost by Stewart Parker, Mixed Marriage by St John Ervine and True West by Sam Shepard.

He has been an Associate Artist of the Abbey Theatre, having also spent time there as Staff Director, Associate Director and Literary Director. Directing work at the Abbey includes the acclaimed production of Owen McCafferty’s Quietly (also toured to Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2013 and the Irish Rep, New York 2016), The Risen People, The Government Inspector, Curse of the Starving Class, Macbeth, The Playboy of the Western World, Ages of the Moon, The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui, The Seafarer, Saved, The School for Scandal, Howie the Rookie, True West, Henry IV, The Muesli Belt, At Swim-Two-Birds, Melonfarmer and The Papar

In New York he directed the world premiere production of Sam Shepard’s play Ages of the Moon starring Stephen Rea at the Atlantic Theatre.

Jimmy created and established the Dublin Fringe Festival, now in its 21st year. He was Artistic Director

of one of Dublin’s most popular independent theatre companies, Bedrock Productions from 1993–2009. Directing credits there include the Irish premieres of internationally vibrant new plays such as This Is Our Youth, Roberto Zucco, Blasted, Night Just Before The Forest, Quay West, and Faraway

In 2007 he was invited to curate an innovative and successful theatre programme for the prestigious Kilkenny Arts Festival.

He has worked as Director with Landmark Productions on the hugely commercially successful productions of Breaking Dad, Between Foxrock and a Hard Place, and The Last Days of the Celtic Tiger, all by Paul Howard.

CIARAN BAGNALL SET DESIGN

Born: Newry, Co.Down. Currently lives: Belfast. Trained at: Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff. Made Honourary fellow of the College in July 2018.

Lyric Theatre Credits: Set & Lighting Design for Lovers, Beauty and the Beast, What the Reindeer Saw, RED, White Star of the North. Set Design for Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching towards the Somme. Lighting Design for The Weir, Three Sisters, St Joan, Pentecost, Philadephia, Here I come!, The Little Prince and Pump Girl

Recent Lighting and Set Designs include: The Mai, (Decadent Theatre Company); The World Goes Round/ Luminaire Club (MAC, Belfast); The Man who fell to Pieces (Tinderbox, MAC, Belfast); Hard to be Soft (MAC, Belfast); The Great Gatsby (Gate Theatre, Dublin); The Train (Abbey Theatre, Dublin); Ashes, Educating Rita (Octagon Theatre, Bolton); Macbeth (Shakespeare’s Globe, London); Singin’ in the Rain (UK Tour); Othello (RSC, Stratford upon Avon); Snookered (Bush Theatre, London); The Killing of Sister George (Arts Theatre, London); A Slight Ache and Landscape (Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre London).

Recent Lighting Designs include: These Rooms (ANU, Shoreditch Town Hall, London); Hamlet (Octagon,

Bolton); Dido, Queen of Carthage (RSC); After the Dance (Theatre by the Lake, Keswick); The Pillowman (Gaiety, Dublin); Perseverance Drive (The Bush Theatre, London); Home (National Theatre Shed, London); Much Ado about Nothing (RSC, Stratford Upon Avon & London West End).

Awards: 2017 Best Set Design

Irish Times Theatre Awards – RED & The Great Gatsby. 2016 Best Design

Manchester Theatre Awards – Singin’ in the Rain. 2014 Best Lighting Design

Irish Times Theatre Awards – Pentecost

2009 Best Design Manchester Theatre Awards - Oleanna

Reisopera, Netherlands); Powder Her Face (Teatro Arriaga, Bilbao); Lost (Ballet Ireland); Flight (Rambert); No Man’s Land (English National Ballet); Cassandra, Hansel and Gretel (Royal Ballet).

GILLIAN LENNOX COSTUME DESIGN PAUL KEOGAN

After graduating with BA Hons in Fashion and Textiles at The University of Ulster Gillian Lennox went on to be a designer within the Fashion Industry.

Previous designs for the Lyric include; Sinners, Here Comes The Night, Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf, Christmas Eve can Kill You and Mixed Marriage.

Other theatre credits include: Lady Windermere’s Fan, De Profundis, The Miser, Smaller (West End); The Caretaker (Bristol Old Vic); The Snapper, Hamlet, The Red Shoes, The Birds (Gate Theatre, Dublin); On Raftery’s Hill, Porcelain, Katie Roche, Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme, The Plough and The Stars, Cyprus Avenue, Shibboleth, Our Few and Evil Days, The Risen People (Abbey Theatre, Dublin); Incantata, Trad, The Matchbox (Galway International); Far Away, Sacrifice at Easter (Corcadorca, Cork); A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, The Gaul (Hull Truck Theatre); Blue/Orange, Tribes (Crucible Studio, Sheffield); Born Bad, The Stock Da’wa (Hampstead); The Fairy Queen (RIAM Dublin); Novecento (Trafalgar Studios, London); Big Maggie (Druid, Galway); A Streetcar Named Desire (Playhouse, Liverpool); Postcards from The Ledge, The Walworth Farce (Landmark, Dublin).

Opera & Dance credits include: Falstaff (Vienna Staatsoper); Jenufa, La Bohème, Eugene Onegin, Idomeneo, Les Dialogues des Carmelites (Grange Park Opera UK); Powder Her Face (Teatro Arriaga, Bilbao); Maria de Buenos Aires (Cork Opera House); Wake (Nationale

After a spell working for Marks And Spencer Menswear Gillian began a 14-year career working for a London based manufacturing/design company where she progressed to head designer supplying companies such as online retailer ASOS. Her designs for ASOS and A-Wear were often featured in magazine editorials.

Gillian’s work often took her overseas to Paris, Syria and Morocco where she gained insight into the entire process of textile design, garment and pattern construction.

Throughout her career Gillian also continued with her own freelance work and has been a maker and illustrator for Universal Studios when they first came to Northern Ireland with films such as Your Highness.

Gillian has also assisted on the BBC Proms and Children in Need and last year designed and made the costumes for The Belfast Mela South Asian Dance Academy.

Before being appointed as Costume Supervisor with the Lyric Theatre in August 2017 Gillian freelanced as a maker with the Lyric Theatre, working on various productions including Little Red, Ginger Bread Mix Up, 39 Steps and Lady Killers

In 2018 Gillian designed the costumes for The Lyric Creative Learning Department’s production of the World War I play Dr Scroggy’s War. And most recently was one of the costume designers for Good Vibrations

Later this year Gillian will be designing the costumes for the upcoming Lyric Productions Double Cross and Alice: the Musical

CHRIS WARNER SOUND DESIGN

Chris is a composer, sound designer, musical arranger and orchestrator whose range of work covers theatre, television and film.

Lyric Theatre credits as composer and sound designer include: Blackout, Dr Scroggy’s War, The Heresy of Love, The Patriot Game, 55 Days (for Creative Learning). Other recent composing and sound design credits include: Macbeth (RSC Associated Schools), 84 Charing Cross Road (Cambridge Arts Theatre, National Tour), Frank Carson Rebel Without A Pause, The Boat Factory (Happenstance Theatre Company), Archie in Manhattan (Grand Opera House).

As a composer for TV and Media Chris is published by Audio Network, producing original music that is featured extensively in TV, film and advertising in this country and around the world. His five most recent albums have all been recorded at Abbey Road and have been used on programmes such as Sky Sports, The Apprentice and the One Show Specific theme tunes include: A History of British Comedy with David Mitchell (BBC Radio 2), The Day I Met The Queen, One Week In August, The Lost World of the Suffragettes (BBC Radio 4).

Recent orchestration credits for theatre, television and the wider media include: The Merry Wives of Windsor (The Royal Shakespeare Company), McMafia (BBC1, Series 1), Make a Musical (BBC Learning, BAFTA nominated); A Portrait of John Doe (MercuryKX Records); Waiting Room (Ballet commissioned by Thüringen Staatsballet Germany).

NEIL O’DRISCOLL VIDEO DESIGN

Neil O’Driscoll studied animation and crafts before graduating with a degree in film and TV from Edinburgh college of Art. Since then he has worked between illustration, film and theatre, designing projections for shows including The Risen People at the Abbey Theatre, Gullivers Travels at the Lyric and A Holy Show on the Peacock stage (Abbey Theatre). As well as creating content for live performance, Neil undertakes portraiture commissions, most recently for Dublin City Council, and has illustrated several comic books, as well as writing and directing two shorts and one feature length film, Waking The Witch

REHEARSALS

© Rehearsal images: Johnny Frazer

“I WAS UNFREE. EVERY DAY OF MY CHILDHOOD I WOULD SAY: TOMORROW, TOMORROW I’M GOING TO BE FREE.”

Brendan Bracken

LYRIC STAFF LIST ABBEY STAFF LIST

Board of Directors

Sir Bruce Robinson (Chairman)

Stephen Douds (Vice Chairman)

Phil Cheevers

Olwen Dawe

Nuala Donnelly

Patricia McBride

Mike Mullan

Dr Mark Phelan

Patron

Liam Neeson OBE

Executive Producer

Jimmy Fay

Producer

Bronagh McFeely

Casting Director

Clare Gault

Literary Manager

Rebecca Mairs

Head of Development and Marketing

Claire Murray

Marketing Manager

Aisling McKenna

Marketing Officer

Aiveen Kelly

Marketing Assistant

Katie Armstrong

Production Assistant

Kerry Fitzsimmons

PR & Press

Carolyn Mathers

Acting Company Stage Manager

Aimee Yates

Deputy Stage Manager

Tracey Lindsay

Assistant Stage Managers

Louise Bryans

Stephen Dix

Kerri McGimpsey

Acting Technical Manager

Ian Vennard

Technician

Alan Mooney

Costume Supervisor

Gillian Lennox

Costume Assistant

Erin Charteris

Head Of Finance and HR

Micheál Meegan

Finance Officer

Toni Harris Patton

Finance Assistant

Sinead Glymond

Head of Creative Learning

Philip Crawford

Creative Learning Manager

Pauline McKay

Creative Learning Schools

Co-Ordinator

Erin Hoey

Head of Customer Service

Julie McKegney

Customer Service Managers

Marina Hampton

Ashlene McGurk

Duty Supervisors

Hannah Conlon

Ella Griffin

Dónal Morgan

Box Office Supervisor

Emily White

Box Office Deputy Supervisor

Paul McCaffrey

Housekeeping

Debbie Duff

Amanda Richards

Samantha Walker

Customer Service Staff

Lucy Armstrong

Pamela Armstrong

Abby Atkinson

Laurie Bailey

Luke Bannon

Michael Bingham

Carla Bryson

Hannah Conlon

Ellison Craig

Gary Crossan

Alacoque Davey

Amanda Doherty

Chris Grant

Adele Gribbon

Simon Hall

Cathal Henry

Teresa Hill

Megan Keenan

Helenna Howie

Gerard Kelly

Julie Lamberton

Aoife McCloskey

Patricia McGreevy

Mary McManus

Cathan McRoberts

Catherine Moore

Dónal Morgan

Seamus O’Hara

Bernadette Owens

Bobbi Rai Purdy

Volunteers

Jean Dumas

Yvonne Dumas

Joan Gormley

Rory McCadden

Bronagh McCallister

Ian McMaster

Gavin Moriarty

Board of Directors

Dónall Curtin

Pádraig Cusack

Jane Daly

Loretta Dignam

Sarah Durcan

Bosco Hogan

Kevin McFadden

Sheelagh O’Neill

Dr. Frances Ruane (Chair)

Michael Wall

Andrea Ainsworth

Gina Arkins

Donal Ayton

Cliff Barragry

Aoife Brady

Niamh Buckley

Orla Burke

Eoin Byrne

Maura Campbell

David Carpenter

Luke Casserly

Niall Clinton

Connall Coleman

Derek Conaghy

Evan Connolly

Jen Coppinger

Ailbhe Cowley

Johnathon Crabtree

Diane Crotty

Mairéad Delaney

Sean Dennehy

Pat Dillon

Debbie Doak

Con Doyle

Emma Doyle

Laura Doyle

Pat Doyle

Ken Dunne

Tom Elliot

Danny Erskine

David Espino

Helen Fahey

Eimer Farrell

Lisa Farrelly

John Finnegan

David Fleming

Veronica Foo

Tara Furlong

Sophie Furlong

Orla Gallagher

Derek Garland

Donna Geraghty

Sandra Gibney

David Groves

John Gunning

Emma Hanley

Fergus Hannigan

Chris Hay

Stephanie Herlihy

Dermot Hicks

Daniel Hickey

James Hickson

Nelly Henrion

Steven Ho

Dara Hogan

Laura Honan

Brian Horgan

John Houston

Narges Jahani

Larry Jones

Maeve Keane

Ailbhe Kelly Miller

Tom Kennedy

Brian Kelly

Fergus Kelly

Wesley Kelly

Shane Kenny

Andy Keogh

Phil Kingston

Anne Kyle

Mike Kyle

Marie Lawlor

Adrian Leake

Sarah Ling

Michael Loughnane

Niamh Lunny

Ciara Lynch

Sarah Lynch

Bridget Lynskey Faust

Darren Magnier

Claire Maher

Heather Maher

Patricia Malpas

Elaine Mannion

Shannon Matthews

Kate McCann

Davy McChrystal

Dan McDermott

Kevin McFadden

Róisín McGann

Ciaran McGlynn

Leo McKenna

Graham McLaren

Caitríona McLaughlin

Shauna McNally

Kitty McLaughlin – Dunning

Victoria Miller

Stephen Molloy

Kerri Morris

Conor Mullan

Mags Mulvey

Donna Murphy

Eimer Murphy

Neil Murray

Agnieszka Myszka

Alexis Nealon

Pawel Nieworaj

Emily Ni Bhroin

Síofra Ní Chiardha

Holly O’Brien

Adam O’Connell

Bryan O’Connell

Donna Marie O’Donovan

Tara O’Reilly

Feidhlim O’Shea

Aoife O’Sullivan

Marisa Pearse

Laura Pulling

Valentina Quiroga

Martin Reid

Dean Reidy

Fiona Reynolds

Ed Rourke

Mick Russell

Pat Russell

Joe Sanders

Jack Scullion

Brian Smith

Eoin Stapleton

John Stapleton

Louise Stephens

Racheal Stout

Ceri May Thomas

Sean Treacy

Karen Lee Walpole

Sean Walsh

Jesse Weaver

Sally Withnell

Caitlin White

Sarah Jane Williams

Bill Woodland

Diarmuid Woods

Principal Funder Also Funded by Corporate Lounge Sponsor

The Lyric is also generously supported by

28 OCT 2018

LYRIC 50

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION EVENING

A celebration of 50 years on Ridgeway Street

PLUS A FULL PROGRAMME RIGHT ACROSS OUR BIRTHDAY WEEK

UNTIL 27 OCT DOUBLE CROSS

27 OCT BLACKOUT

28 OCT BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION EVENING

31 OCT FAMILY DAY

1–3 NOV NEW PLAYWRIGHTS SHOWCASE UNTIL 10 NOV DEAR ARABELLA