My Writing
When I get the time, I write!
Despite the Angels
I published my first novel on Amazon in March 2013. It has had very good reviews, and at the time of writing is scoring 4.5-5 out of 5 stars. Some things reviewers have said are:
- 'An uplifting and entertaining read'
- 'I laughed, I cried, I absolutely loved it'
- 'Tender and touching, comical and whimsical'
- 'She writes in a thoughtful, understated way'
This is a story about two Dubliners, Lucy and David, who have had several 'past lives' together, but so far have failed to "get it right". Their "angels" or spirit-guides try to help them, with mixed and sometimes comical results.
You can see it on Amazon (and download the whole book or a sample) here or buy a paperback from Amazon, see links above. Another novel in the same genre will be published sometime in 2018.
Rhyme for Reason
My one-act play “RHYME FOR REASON” went out on the All-Ireland Amateur Drama Circuit in the Autumn of 2008, and also to the Bray Festival in January 2009, and was highly commended by all the adjudicators for the quality of its writing. In Bray I was awarded a Merit Certificate for the writing.
We received several ‘Best Actor’ or ‘Best Actress’ nominations, and Mabel Gargan won a Best Actress and a Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Maud. Fiona Masterson won a Merit Certificate for her ‘Lisa’. The play came second in the Open category in the Skerries festival.
Mabel Gargan "Best Actress" with adjudicator Mr Terry Byrne,
at the Prosperous Festival.
The play is 30 minutes long, and full of action. It follows a family in real time on a Saturday morning. Carrie is just up, and longing for a coffee. But her son Michael wants his kit washed, and a lift to his match, her daughter Lisa is going out to meet ‘the girls’, her husband Tom is putting up shelves, and Maud her mother is living in her own reality, and communicates mostly in nursery rhymes. The play is by turns poignant and funny as they all work towards their own ends. It is Lisa who changes the most, when her father’s minor injury makes her realise how difficult Maud is, and at the end of the play she has started to support her mother. But the end is sad, as Carrie realises there is no cure for Maud, and that the situation will continue to slide.
It is a play with five strong characters, all enjoyable to play, giving, as you can see from our results, prize potential! This is a play that can be easily played in other English-speaking countries, with minimal change of a few words. It is not specifically Irish.
The characters are:
- Carrie, early 50s. Long-suffering, but with a couple of angry moments
- Michael, 17. Her son. Entirely in his own space.
- Maud, 75. Her mother. Early senile dementia, cheerful. Convinced she is off to her poetry recital
- Lisa, 15. Carrie’s daughter. Starts as a typical dismissive teen, but ‘grows up’ during the play
- Tom, early 50s. Carrie’s husband. Nice, caring in his own way, but does not understand Maud at all. When he injures himself his own problems come very much first.
A performance of Rhyme For Reason in Palmerstown Festival.
This play is available for performance. I can email you a copy of the play for you to have a look at. If you wish to keep it, please send €20. This entitles you to make the 6-7 copies you will need to put on the play. Performance rights will be in accordance with the Drama League of Ireland's usual rates. Please enquire via email, if you are in Ireland giving your phone number and a good time to contact you. Outside Ireland enquiries just by email please.
It would be a suitable fund-raising play for Alzheimer's societies.
Two Wrongs
It is also a one-act play, which toured on the Circuit in November 2010 with Square One Theatre Group of Bray. It was very well received by audiences, and also by the female adjudicators who saw it. It was described as 'a play with a lot in it'. As this play has a sexual theme but is not the traditional farce, the older male adjudicators found it challenging, and were less content. But this could be the play's strength, that shakes some comfortably held views of life.
I have moved the action from Poland to Ireland (though like Rhyme for Reason, it is not particularly Irish.)
Cast and crew of Two Wrongs
Jim and Jean are the two wrongdoers, and work their way through accusation and defence, anger, shame, seduction, and some humour as they discuss and argue about their dilemma.
Their two friends Mary and Paul, another couple, make smaller appearances, Mary is also working as a prostitute, and Paul does not know. There is also a cameo role of 'girl', another prostitute and colleague of Mary's. She can be any age, but the main four characters are probably in their 30s or early 40s.
The sytle of the writing is similar to that in 'Rhyme for Reason'. It is a powerful play, containing almost every emotion, and some real action when Jean and Jim fight.
Mary and girl in rehearsal for Two Wrongs
This play is about 45 minutes long. I can email you the script for you to look at. If you wish to keep it, it is €25, which entitles you to make the 7-8 copies you will need to perform the play.
Performance rights will be in accordance with Drama League of Ireland's rates. Both plays are copyright. If you do not wish to pay for your 'download', please be good and delete it, and do not print anything!.
Sleepless
Sleepless is a 15 minute short comedy featuring Kate, who is extremely anxious about her children and husband who have not yet returned from their evening activities. She thinks aloud, about their possible fates. When they do eventually come home, she relaxes but her daughter is now the one who is stressed.... 4 characters, male and female, about 50, Male and Female about 20. One large part, and three small. Again, you may see the script if you wish.
John Joyce, cartoonist and author
My friend and fellow author, John Joyce, drew the cartoons on the medical pages. To find out about his work, look on www.spindriftpress.com