NEW GALWAY theatre company NoRopes presents its debut production in the Town Hall Studio on Friday August 21 and Saturday 22, with The Open Couple, a three-hander whose fast-paced satirical style perfectly suits the studio setting.
Written by Italian Nobel laureate Dario Fo and his wife, Franca Rame, in 1983, the play has a very contemporary resonance and explores the sexual politics of a doomed ‘modern’ marriage. Antonia (Deirdre Bhreatnach ) and her husband (Daniel Cronin ) mix mind games, miscommunication, and emotional blackmail with hilarious consequences. Filled with sharp, witty, dialogue, this play will carry audiences through the warped reality of one couple’s fight for their own ideal marriage.
In describing his approach to theatre, Fo claimed: "The more one approaches the new by way of experimentation, the more there is a need to seek out roots in the past." With its use of age-old storytelling techniques to discuss controversial socio-political themes surrounding marriage, The Open Couple, in the excellent translation by Stuart Hood, is sure to engage Galway audiences and kindle their interest in Fo’s extensive body of work.
NoRopes is a new, Galway based theatre company, whose aim is to challenge our understanding of societal boundaries through the production of innovative and little known dramatic works. NoRopes founder Mairéad Folan, who also directs The Open Couple, described the work as having many comic moments, but that there is "an underlying sadness to the piece”.
“The company want to change people’s views on what is acceptable and it is based on innovation and collaboration between cast and crew”, she says. “The Open Couple examines what is acceptable in relationships in modern society, it was written in 1983 buts its themes remain very relevant today. It shows what goes on behind the closed doors of a marriage. The husband has the initial idea of having an open relationship. The wife isn’t very happy about it at first but then she finds a new man herself and the husband doesn’t like the tables being turned.”
The Open Couple features Deirdre Bhreatnach, Daniel Cronin, Chris Campbell, and guest stars Diarmuid de Faoite - all making their NoRopes Theatre debut. The creative team includes Dara McGee (set design ), Jim Faulkner (lighting design ), Conor McBrierty (sound design ), Peter Mannion (music composer ), and Clarissa Finnerty (costume design ).
Doors for NoRopes’ production of The Open Couple are 8.30pm. Tickets: €8/10/8, through the Town Hall on 091 - 569777 or www.tht.ie
