We found this piece absolutely fascinating and an engrossing piece of drama at The Finborough. Here is a link to the Finborough page about the play/production.
Just in case anything ever goes awry with that link – here is a scrape of it.
In short, Ruairi Conaghan’s uncle Rory was brutally gunned down during the Northern Ireland troubles when Ruairi was a young lad. The trauma of that family tragedy manifested itself big time in Ruairi after he had played IRA bomber Patrick Magee and moved on to the role of The Player King in a major production of Hamlet.
Lies Where It Falls is Ruairi Conaghan’s before, during and after story of his near-breakdown some ten years ago – forty years after the tragedy.
Janie and I both got a great deal out of this piece and Ruari’s performance.
We stayed on for a panel discussion which included playwright Seamus Finnegan, director, teacher and writer Andy Hinds, plus multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker Corie McGowan.
In truth, the panel discussion did far less for us than the gripping piece. But it did give me the opportunity to ask Ruairi the question that had been burning in my mind through most of the play:
IAN: Was/is the process of writing and performing that piece cathartic for you?
RUAIRI: Writing it was cathartic for me, my performing it is cathartic for you, the audience.
Good answer. Good writer. Good performer.
Lies Where It Falls got deservedly rave reviews at Edinburgh this year and should progress to bigger audiences elsewhere than the short run at the Finborough Theatre allows.
