CAN FORGIVENESS overcome the desire for revenge in 21st century Northern Ireland? This is the question Colin Bateman asks in his new, blackly humorous play, Bag For Life, which is coming to the Town Hall.
Bag For Life tells the story of Karen - played by Julie Addy - a young mother, out shopping one Saturday when she runs into a figure from her past - the former paramilitary who 22 years earlier murdered her brother. Thus begins a cycle of revenge, psychosis, and obsession, while her frantic, fractured, mindset is brought to life by an intricate series of video displays.
“There are a lot of different aspects to it,” explains Bateman, “it is quite a dark piece but it’s also very funny. It’s a thriller but it will also make you think. You’ll come out asking questions about how you would deal in certain situations.”
Bateman has won acclaim for his series of crime novels, for scripting the TV show Murphy’s Law, and more recently for his screenplay The Journey exploring the political relationship between Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness. Bag For Life has also been praised by critics since premiering in Derry: "Believable, near the knuckle in places, entertaining and disturbing" (Derry Journal ); "...will stir the darkest recesses of the Northern Irish soul" (The Irish News ); “One of the most visually arresting plays of the year” (alaninbelfast.blogspot.co.uk ).
Bag For Life comes to the Town Hall on Monday May 8 at 8pm. Tickets are available via 091 - 569777 or www.tht.ie
