CHRISTIAN O’REILLY’S moving, funny and inspiring play Here We Are Again Still makes a welcome return to the Town Hall Theatre next week as part of an ongoing national tour.
The play, which arose from storytelling sessions O’Reilly ran in Mervue’s Walter Macken Place, explores universal themes of isolation and companionship. There are three characters; Paddy (Eamonn Hunt ), a gruff widower brooding over the loss of his beloved wife; spinster Imelda (Bríd Ní Neachtain ) who tries to chivvy Paddy into taking more care of himself; and recovering heroin addict Tony (Andy Kellegher ) who has just moved to the area and is trying to get his life back in order.
The scenes are all played out on and around a park-bench where Paddy likes to spend his time watching local soccer matches. A friendship grows between the three characters that helps them discover the strength and belief to face the daily challenges of their lives. The play offers a warm, frequently funny, portrayal of its characters that is both perceptive and moving.
This current tour takes place as part of the nationwide Bealtaine Festival which celebrates creativity in older people. It is the first time the festival has featured a touring play in its programme.
“The idea behind connecting with Bealtaine is that the play was inspired by stories by residents, many of them elderly, of Walter Macken place,” O’Reilly explains over an afternoon chat, “and two of the play’s characters are older people as well.”
The tour sees O’Reilly, for the first time in his career, assume the role of co-producer and take a hands-on part in securing funding, organising bookings, and promoting the show from one venue to the next.
“I was a bit daunted about it all at first but it’s been a good experience for me,” he states. “I got really helpful guidance from people like Jane Daly and Joe Murphy – from St John’s Arts Centre in Listowel and I did my best to follow the advice they gave me.
“We managed to set up a four week tour and Andrew Flynn and Paraic Breathnach have come on board in the later stages and looked after much of the financial management of the whole thing.
“It’s going really well, it’s getting great responses from audiences and I couldn’t be happier with the quality of the show. We’ve made a few changes to it for this run and I think it’s improved it a lot, it’s tighter and has greater clarity of characterisation.”
O’Reilly is particularly looking forward to the play being performed on the Town Hall main stage.
“The play was inspired by what could be described as a marginalised part of Galway,” he said. “Now it will be going to the heart of Galway theatre in the Town Hall. I think there’s something to be celebrated about that.
“The play is really about confidence and how someone who’s broken can rediscover a connection to living but it’s also about soccer at that amateur, grassroots, level and I think people who know and love the sport would recognise that aspect of it too.”
Here We Are Again Still runs at the Town Hall from Monday May 23 to Wednesday 25 at 8pm. Tickets are available from the Town Hall on 091 - 569777 and www.tht.ie
