(BBC Stewart Parker Awards 2016 – 12th April 2016 – Lyric theatre Belfast)
Séanadh (Lockdown) raises more questions than it attempts to answer, leaving us unsettled at the end, forcing us to think.
It’s a humourous but sour-chomping take on Irish society.
None of the characters come through unscathed. The author manages to bring together any ‘ism’ that often gets sucked into centenary celebrations, in any country: nationalism, fundamentalism, heroism, extremism, revisionism.
All the while the author poignantly drags us through the army mud and gruesome death of war. He skillfully leads us into full blown PTSD which presents in one of the 3 characters.
This is a powerful shift in the play, from normal one moment, to being in the middle of terror the next. This is a difficult thing to achieve but he skillfully accomplishes this here. He cleverly portrays the elements of PTSD, the transgressing of boundaries through the character of Clodagh unconsciously bringing us right into it.
Which of the characters is the hero of the piece depends on your world view.
The BBC Northern Ireland Stewart Parker Irish Language Drama Award
For BBC NI this is an important award. In terms of the Irish language, it not only recognises the standard of creative writing in the language in Irish theatre but is also promotes new writing without which the creative arts in Ireland would not be the same.
“O’Farrell is played by Amy O’Dwyer…she has an ability to sink into the role, becoming it in a way that makes her look different, even physically different….It is convincing. Not to mention promising, helped by the stark grey and black of Orla Reynold’s set.”
– The Red Curtain Review
“..engaging”
“..firing on all cannons..”
“O’Dwyer and Coyle work well together as Clodagh and Harry”
– No More Workhorse
Following the launch of the 1916 commemoration, Clodagh O’ Farrell, a senior captain from Army HQ recently returned from Lebanon, attempts to coordinate the military aspect of the celebration, despite the objections and competing agendas of forces within the Government.
Will Clodagh succeed or will Stephanie and her bosses get what they want. And just whose team is spin-doctor Harry playing for?
Directed by Anthony Fox
Photos by Al Craig
GRADAM BBC STEWART PARKER
Séanadh
Ardaíonn an dráma seo níos mó ceisteanna ná mar a fhreagraíonn sé agus fágtar go mí-shocair, machnamhach ag an deireadh thú.
Ceanglaítear greann sa dráma le dianscrúdú ar shochaí mhuintir na hÉireann agus ní thagann duine ar bith den triúr carachtar slán as an dianscrúdú seo. Éiríonn leis an údar gach ‘achas’ a d’fhéadfaí a ardú i gcomóradh céad bliain i dtír ar bith, a tharraingt le chéile – idir náisiúnachas, bunúsaíochas, laochas, athbhreithniúchas agus antoisceachas.
Ag pointe faoi leith, gan choinne, brúann an drámadóir cruatan cogaidh orainn, uafás an bháis sa chogaíocht trí shúile saighdiúra mar chuid de agus pléascann neamhord struis iarthrámaigh (PTSD) go fíochmhar os ár gcomhair.
Athrú suntasach agus cumhachtach is ea an pointe seo sa dráma – ó ghnáthshaol go sceoin-saol. Éacht atá ann an chuid seo a thabhairt chun beatha sa script .i. na gnéithe sin ar fad a bhaineann le PTSD, ag sárú teorainneacha gnáth-iompar, trí Clodagh, a tharraingíonn muid gan aon dul as, isteach go croílár a sceimhle féin.
Cé hé laoch an dráma seo? Brathann sé seo ar an dearcadh atá agat féin ar an saol.
Tá an-tábhacht ag baint leis an ngradam seo do BBC Tuaisceart Éireann, ní hamháin ó thaobh caighdeán scríbhneoireachta na Gaeilge de ach mar go n-aithnítear é mar ghradam tábhachtach bliantúil laistigh de na healaíona in Éirinn freisin. Is boichte a bheadh siad gan na drámadóirí seo. Cuireann an Chomhairle Ealaíon maoiniú ar fáil d’Iontaobhas Stewart Parker.
CÚLRA NOTA BREISE
Cuireadh an gradam seo ar bun in onóir an dramadóra as Béal Feirste, Stewart Parker (1941 – 1988). Is í an aidhm atá le hIontaobhas Stewart Parker ná spreagadh a thabhairt do scríbhneoirí úra amharclannaíochta i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge. Dar le Steve Carson, Ceannasaí BBC NI Productions, tugann na gradaim seo aitheantas d’obair Stewart Parker é féin, duine de dhrámadóirí fadradharcach an fichiú céad.
Comhghairdeachas do na daoine ar fad a bhain gradam inniu.
Cast and Creatives
Anthony Fox
Director
Amy O'Dwyer
Cast
Barbara Dempsey
Cast
Killian Coyle
Cast
Orla Reynolds
Set Design
Cathy O Carroll
Lighting Design
Shane Fitzmaurice
Sound Design
Cèin Sookram
