Join us for a rehearsed reading of Tender Mercies by Collette Cullen as part of The New Theatre’s New Writing Week.
Inspired by a news headline in a local paper TENDER MERCIES is the story behind ‘the woman who lay dead in her home for a year’ before being discovered by her twin brother.
Combining black humour with the raw revelation of pain TENDER MERCIES tells the story of Mary Fortune’s inner life from the womb to the tomb through the highs and lows of a life that finally spiralled out of control. Broken by her family, failed by society and left to die by those charged with her care. TENDER MERCIES brings vividly to life a whole cast of characters from Mary Fortune’s past – twin brother Barry, her family, hairdressing clients, ex-husband Johnny, neighbours and friends. Dare to laugh at despair and gasp at this brave, bleak,
beautiful yet very humorous show. You’ll be thinking of Mary Fortune long after the lights go down.
Directed by Caroline Fitzgearld
Performed by Sorcha Furlong
Colette Cullen’s critically-acclaimed play WHEN RACHEL MET FIONA finished a run at The New Theatre in April and at The Space, London in 2021. NO PROMISES her follow-on play had a rehearsed reading in The New Theatre in 2022. NearFM produced her audio plays BLIND
DATE broadcast in February and FINGERS CROSSED to be broadcast in late 2023. A US production dropped on Eclectic Full Contact Theatre, Chicago’s ‘Half Hour Audio Hour’ in May. DEEP SHADOWS the audio crime drama series she co-created and co-wrote for Ecelctic
Full Contact Theatre was a Silver Selection at the ‘Hear Now Festival 2021’. Her Fishamble tiny play EVERYONE’S SORRY and SHOPPING DAYS continue to be internationally produced. She is an Axis Assemble Artist 2023 and the recipient of a Backstage Theatre Activate Residency 2023.
Sorcha Furlong is best known for playing Orla Molloy in the RTE series Fair City for the last 24 years. She recently won the prestigious Eva Booth Award for Best Actress at the Gay Theatre Festival for her portrayal of Martha in Amanda Brunker’s new play Curiosity and at the
Viking Theatre. Prior to this she was in the Sleeping Beauty panto at the Civic Theatre, Birthright by Nadine Flynn as part of The Dublin Fringe Festival 2019, the 24 Hour Plays at the Abbey Theatre, Jack And The Beanstalk panto at The Civic Theatre, The Chastitute at the
Gaiety Theatre, directed by Michael Scott and The Misanthrope at The New Theatre and the Viking Theatre, directed by Peter Reid. Other credits include the solo pieces Found Near Water and Zif 268 by Ken Harmon, directed by Jimmy Fay and Peter Reid at Smock Alley, W.A.G. by Gemma Doorley at the Civic Theatre & National Tour, Girl’s Night – The Musica’ at The Tivoli theatre, and Menopause – The Musical.’ at the Gaiety Theatre – both directed by Andrew Lynford and Canaries by Bernard Farrell at Andrew’s Lane Theatre.
With Smart Blondes Productions, she has produced, co-directed and written several short films including Even Droids Have Friends and Princess Rehab, as well as the award winning I am Jesus. A professional singer, Sorcha has appeared at numerous venues nationwide, including the National Concert Hall.
Caroline Fitzgearld 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.
