1930s New York was a town of shebeens, jazz, sex and... Ulysses. It was the era of Prohibition and James Joyce's novel - like liquor - was much in demand, but could only be bought under the counter. Until, that was, a feisty young publisher sailed to Paris to buy the rights from Joyce, hired the best free speech lawyer in the land, and took a case to liberate Ulysses from American censorship.
The stage was set for one of the great literary trials of the 20th century - and that trial will be on the stage of the Town Hall on November 21 in Colin Murphy's new play, The United States vs Ulysses.
Based on the trial records, Murphy describes the play as "a bawdy courtroom drama", one that tells the true story of how Ulysses was cancelled in America, and the long fight to overturn that. As the lawyers wrestle with the question of whether Joyce's character Molly Bloom is obscene, Molly gets under their skin, and into their heads, and the New York court room becomes haunted by the Dubliners of Ulysses.
The play reunites Colin Murphy with director Conall Morrison: their hit productions Guaranteed! and Haughey/Gregory have previously toured to the Town Hall. Janet Moran - currently on screens in The Dry and winner of Best Actress at the Irish Theatre Awards for her performance in Eugene O'Brien's Heaven, which played at the Town Hall last year - stars as Molly. The play is produced by Once Off Productions - who previously brought the hits Aran & Im and Man of Aran, ReImagined to Galway - in association with Pavilion Theatre. Tickets available from https://tht.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173647362
