Vixen

It is the first anniversary of Martin’s death. Angie’s lover. His family has come to visit his grave. Angie watches the mourners from the safety of her car, hidden under the Yew tree. She remains unseen, her own grief buried deep within. She remembers the foxes, appearing in formation like a string of ugly thoughts…..

VIXEN by Helen Casey is a compelling psychological drama of one woman’s resilience, determination and desperation to name the love that was hers, but belonged to another. Both haunting and mesmerizing, it is a visceral exploration of love, unspoken loss and uncomfortable truths. As we are drawn further into Angie’s world, the emotional rollercoaster plunges from the frothy highs to a much darker terrain filled with suspense and a gnawing grief. Tis better to have loved and lost…or is it?

Bios

HELEN CASEY

Involvement with theatre began with her company Pale Mother staging Brecht shows in late 90s. Since then she has worked extensively as a workshop facilitator in drama in education; creating and devising theatre in school and community settings. She holds a BA, hdip Ed, dip Special Ed with drama from TCD. She continues to work in the field of guidance and special education.

CAROLINE FITZGERALD

Has worked as a theatre director for the past fifty years. She was Resident Director and Assistant Artistic Director at the Abbey Theatre in the early 90s where she directed many new plays: Sebastian Barry’s Boss Grady’s Boys, Prayers of Sherkin and White Woman Street, Blinded by the Light by Dermot Bolger. Joycity and Trinity of Two by Ulick O Connor. Happy Days with Fionnuala Flannagan ( Gate Theatre 1991) , Gate Beckett Festival, Lincoln Centre, New York 1995, Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel in Buffalo, New York. She was Artistic Director of Gallowglass Theatre Company, CLonmel 2002-5. Recent productions – Boom by Isobel Mahon ( Dolmen Theatre, Civic Theatre, Gaiety, National Tour, Weighing in by Ger Gallagher( Dolmen Theatre, Mill Theatre, National Tour), Mother of All the Behans ( Rosaleen Linehan, Viking Clontarf), Worth by Ger Gallagher ( Dolmen, Viking), Room for Two by Ger Gallagher, Dolmen, Civic Tallaght. The Afters by Ger Gallagher, Dolmen, Viking, Civic. Overtime by Jane McCarthy, the New Theatre, The Ghost Story by Fergus Linehan, West Cork Fit up Company, Click by Michael Collier, the New Theatre.

ROSE HENDERSON is best known as Sister Assumpta in Father Ted, Val in Fair City and Mary in Daniel O’Donnell’s Gas Boiler Safety ad. She blew up a building with Def Leopard inside, in their music video Pour Some Sugar on Me. She has written two plays, Ruby Tuesday and Take Off Your Cornflakes with Pat Nolan (Show in a Bag 2017), three ten-minute plays Obituary, Courage and Therapist for Pavilion Playwrights, and was nominated for a Sunday Tribune Hennessy Award for her short story The Box. She was awarded the Aisling Bea Special Mention Award at the DICFF and nominated for Best Actress Award at the Richard Harris FF for Rip to the Rescue by Cian McGarrigle. Her own short film Shifting Sands premiered at the Galway FF, and Wireless by Brian Dwyer premiered at the Fastnet FF. In 2022, Rose appeared in Parcel From America by Tomaseen Foley at Smock Alley, Weighing In by Ger Gallagher at the Viking Theatre, and Toy Show the Musical at the Convention Centre.

NEIL ARTHUR HANDLY

Is a composer and sound designer from Tallaght. He graduated from TCD with a first class honours in Music and Drama studies, specializing in composition and also completed a Higher Certificate in Sound Engineering and Music Production at Sound Training College in Temple Bar. He has been involved in theatre for many years in Tallaght, has designed sound for Spectres of Gorky, creative director of Crave by Sarah Kane ( Samuel Beckett 2018). Most recently, his capstone work composing for a production of The Plague, TCD, won an award at the Danail Chirpansky Theatre Festival.