EASTER 1917
Written and directed by Gerard O’Shea
APRIL 17-21 – MOAT THEATRE, Naas – 045-883030; www.moattheatre.com
Tickets €15/12
*A World Premiere *
One year after the dramatic, but failed, Dublin Rising of 1916, the residents of the tiny Irish village of Kilfeckert take up arms once more against the British Army. The rebels occupy key buildings in the village and prepare to go to war to defend the new Republic they have declared. As they wait and ultimately go to war, leading figures from the literary revival have begun to dramatise their exploits for the stage, under the watchful eye of the parish priest. And watching all of this unfold is an embedded TV crew, filming a news documentary on the dramatic events.
‘Easter 1917’ is a wild and hilarious ride through an alternative view of Irish history. A laugh out loud comedy featuring run ins with cans of beans, attempted communications with the Kaiser’s Germany, makeshift weapons, rebel in fighting, knowing in jokes and all the drama, suspense and comedy of a David versus Goliath clash with a few surprising plot twists.
It is Irish history in all its glory and failure – political, military, religious, artistic, sporting – as you’ve never quite seen it before.
A large cast of new and familiar Moat Club actors bring to life the rebels and writers, poets and priests, hurlers and cricketers, soldiers and reporters that inhabit the crazy, comic world of Kilfeckert at Easter 1917.
On Thursday 19th April from 7pm to 7.30pm prior to that night’s performance of Easter 1917 there will be a panel discussion focusing on the 1916 rebellion. The event will be chaired by Mario Corrigan, Kildare Library & Arts Services and will feature notable historians, Paddy Behan, Stan Hickey, James Durney and Liam Kenny as well as the playwright and director of Easter 1917, Gerard O’Shea. The panel discussion is free but it is hoped it would entice people along to the performance on Thursday evening.
In recent times Gerard O’Shea has directed ‘The Playboy of the Western World’, ‘The Seagull’ and ‘This Lime Tree Bower’ at the Moat Club. As a writer, his short play ‘Revolver’ appeared at the Moat in 2007, and ‘Skullduggery’ has been toured on three occasions by devise+conquer theatre company in 2010/11, including a two week run at Bewleys Café Theatre.
Eilish Rafferty, Moat Club PR Team (087 9174360)
The world premiere of ‘Easter 1917’ by Gerard O’Shea in the Moat Theatre 17-21 April. Prior to Thursday’s performance Mario Corrigan chairs a discussion panel of notable historians
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