Dáil 100 Experience

Written by Matthew Ralli

LEINSTER HOUSE - Dublin - 19th & 20th January; 12th & Sun 13th October; 9th & 16th November 2019

Five original dramatic pieces written and directed by Matthew Ralli supported a dedicated usher’s tour and exhibition in Leinster House on January 19th & 20th to commemorate the centenary of Dáil Éireann.

Beginning with a monologue from Lord Edward Fitzgerald (1763-1798), the fifth son of the 1st Duke of Leinster, and the Commander-in-chief of the United Irishmen in the rising of 1798, the dramatic pieces depict important events and their effect on the nation through one hundred years of Dáil Éireann. They include a scene from 1919 between two employees of the 1st Dáil who share the emotive words of the Declaration of Independence; a scene with two female Dáil workers set in 1972 outlines the country’s trepidation on the eve of the EEC referendum as well as the struggle for working women prior to the marriage bar being lifted completely; a speech from a political journalist toward the last days of 2004 as he reports his yearly summary in the midst of Celtic Tiger Ireland; and finally a contemporary youthful bard speaks from the heart as he tries to encapsulate the nation’s struggles, achievements and hopeful future.

Creative team:

Writer & Director:  Matthew Ralli

Cast:   Original - Donncha Crowley, Fionnuala Flaherty, Fionn Foley, Bairbre Ní Chaoimh, Áine Ní Laoighaire, Matthew O’Brien, Cillian O’Dee. Further performances: Laura Brady, Marcus Lamb & Micheál Ó Gruagáin 

Producer:  Melissa Nolan

Assistant Director/Stage Manager:  Ciaran McGlynn

Script support and Research: Pamela McQueen

Costume Design:  Rowena Cunningham

Irish Language Consultant: Marcus Lamb

Hair: Lynda Robinson

The Restoration of Hope

Mermaid Arts Centre 17th Nov, The New Theatre 20th Nov - 16th Dec 2017. A new play by Philip St John.

After the success of Temptress, Speckintime continued its collaboration with writer Philip St John (High Seas Productions) to produce The Restoration of Hope, the second play in St John's Eerie Trilogy. Supported by Wicklow County Arts Office, Dublin City Arts Office, Fishamble New Play Clinic, Mermaid Arts Centre and The New Theatre.

In a Dublin office a few days before Christmas, entrepreneur Hope Whyte is restored to life. Will she honour the terms of a blood-chilling contract signed in the next world, or defy her mentor Larry McGrath and endure a fate worse than death? 

Philip St John's wickedly funny thriller, a successor to the acclaimed Temptress, takes us on an exhilarating trip into the dark heart of the ominous powers currently engulfing our globe. 

Review

Independent.ie

"This is a clever and thought-provoking 80 minutes, reminiscent of the best work of Conor McPherson.

It tackles the contemporary moral crisis by harnessing the uncanny in order to split open the world and take a look at its innards. Brand new plays, when they succeed like this, are the best form of theatre."  Read review 

Creative team:

Writer:  Philip St John

Director:  Matthew Ralli

Cast:  Nick Devlin, Jody O'Neill, Shane O'Regan

Producer:  Melissa Nolan

Set Design:  Lisa Krugel

Sound Design:  Carl Kennedy

Lighting Design:  Paul Doran

Costume Design:  Rowena Cunningham

Stage Manager: Shannon Cowan

Fund It Campaign

The Restoration of Hope was part funded, therefore the production needed to launch a crowd funding campaign. Thankfully 38 private funders opted to support the project and we thank them for their generosity and belief in the creative talent of Speckintime and Philip St John. 

Fishamble New Play Clinic

A two day workshop was held on 22nd & 23rd August in Mermaid Arts Centre as part of Fishamble's New Play Clinic support. Working with director Matthew Ralli and writer Philip St John, the company would like to thank Annabelle Comyn for her dramaturgy; Will Irvine, Jody O'Neill and Mark O'Regan for their involvement as actors in the workshop; and to designers Lisa Krugel and Rowena Cunningham for their contribution.  

 The Curse of the Button Accordion 

Written and performed by Sharon Mannion

2019

Comedian Sharon Mannion (Bridget and Eamon - RTE) pens a hilarious show based on her worries, fears and adventures growing up in a Roscommon village.

Will she live up to the expectations of her ex-showband star father and her Midwest FM radio-loving mother?  On receiving a shiny button accordion, Sharon is thrust into the local limelight. But things soon turn sour, when she starts to wonder if 'Frank the Accordion' might have her cursed.

This eventful coming of age tale explores the calamitous consequences of forging deep, complex feelings for an inanimate object.

This is a laugh out loud play inspired by Sharon's own experiences growing up in rural Roscommon. In this heart warming coming-of-age tale Sharon introduces us to the weird and wonderful characters that have influenced her life, not least of all Frank, her button accordion.

After eighteen months of development 'The Curse' has thrilled audiences in theatres across the country including: Roscommon Arts Centre; Mermaid Arts Centre - Bray; Riverbank Arts Centre - Newbridge; The New Theatre - Dublin; dlr Mill Theatre - Dundrum; The Dock - Carrick-on-Shannon; St John’s Theatre - Listowel; Friars’ Gate Theatre - Killmallock; Trinity Arts Centre, Castlerea; Wexford Arts Centre; Visual: Bernard Shaw Theatre - Carlow; Ballygar Arts Centre, Co Galway; Nenagh Arts Centre; Whale Theatre - Greystones.

Director: Matthew Ralli, Lighting Design: Paul Doran, Sound Consultant: Carl Kennedy, Producer: Melissa Nolan, Touring technicians: Shannon Cowan & Darragh Brennan.

"Mannion enthralls and engrosses the audience in what is a faultless performance...riotous laughter..."  The Reviews Hub

Sharon Mannion

Sharon is an actor, comedian and improvisor from Co. Roscommon. She is best known for her comedy TV work: 'Bridget and Eamon' (RTE), 'Trojan Donkey' (Channel 4/RTE), Callans Kicks (RTE), Moone Boy (Sky 1) and Damo & Ivor (RTE). 

She won Best Stand Up award at the inaugural Fr. Ted Festival and has been a finalist in both the UK & Ireland Funny Women and Bulmers Comedy Festival stand up competitions.

Sharon performs weekly for The Dublin Comedy Improv (International Bar, Dublin) 

Roscommon County Council & Roscommon arts centre

Sharon Mannion was awarded a bursary from Roscommon County Council to develop her initial thirty minute script into a full-length play. The premiere performance in her home town was proudly supported by Roscommon Arts Centre. 

 Temptress

By Philip St John

Premiered at Mermaid Arts Centre, Wicklow 24th Oct, The New Theatre, Dublin 26th Oct - 7th Nov 2015.

Re-staged at Viking Theatre, Clontarf, Dublin 11 - 23rd Feb; Whale Theatre, Grey Stones 9th March 2019.

Temptress is a culmination of eighteen months of collaboration, script development and rehearsed readings. With the support of Wicklow Arts, Dublin City Council, Mermaid Arts Centre and The New Theatre, as well as the incredible assistance from the wider community, the play enjoyed a successful premiere in 2015.

In 2019 the production was re-staged in the Viking Theatre and the Whale Theatre.

Reviews

The Examiner

"Under director Matthew Ralli’s expert eye pace never slackens and the rich humour in St. John’s excellent script is given full expression....Positioned as a comedy “Temptress” is right on the money. Utterly enjoyable and unrelentingly hilarious, “Temptress” is a wonderfully seductive production. The only way to resist is to yield to it." Read review

No More Workhorse

"The back and forth narrative is as tense and clever as can be expected from the award winning St John....What we have then is a play that ticks all the boxes...a masterclass production." Read review

The Reviews Hub

"Borne out of isolation, whether literal or emotional, Temptress is a darkly comic tale that explores the limits people will go in order to find happiness, or at least their perception of what happiness is. Regardless of the time of year, this 70 minute piece is an enthralling and fun way to spend an evening." Read review

Philip St John

Temptress is Philip's third play to be produced in Ireland after The Sylvia (Smock Alley Theatre) and On City Water Hill (Theatre Upstairs) both received critical acclaim. Philip is a distinctive voice in contemporary Irish playwriting and Temptress is yet another example of his unique writing style. He explains where the impetus for writing his latest play came from. "I wrote the initial draft of Temptress in August 2014. What prompted it I do not know, but I had been alone for a week - my wife Laura was down in Cork - so it is possible Pete and Noel emerged from a sense of isolation." 

Collaboration

Temptress saw the company continue its long-standing collaboration with sound designer Carl Kennedy. As well as this, actor Matthew O'Brien returned after starring in The Art of Wedlock and Deeds of Deceit, Melissa Nolan provided her skills as producer and Rowena Cunningham designed costume. 

In this production we welcomed actor Paul Kealyn, (both he and Matthew had proved invaluable in our rehearsed readings), as well as lighting designer Paul Doran, set designer Lisa Krugel and stage manager Jenni Little. The production also featured the original songs from Dublin based band The Magpies.

Thank You

The premiere production of Temptress was supported by Wicklow Arts, Mermaid Arts Centre, Dublin City Council and The New Theatre, as well as Wicklow Wolf Brewery and Brogans Bar. Despite this incredible support, it would have been impossible to stage the play if not for the generosity of the wider community who raised €1850 through our Fund It campaign.

The Creative Team. 

Writer:  Philip St John

Director:  Matthew Ralli

Cast:  Paul Kealyn, Matthew O'Brien

Producer:  Melissa Nolan

Sound Design:  Carl Kennedy

Set Design:  Lisa Krugel

Lighting Design:  Paul Doran

Costume Design:  Rowena Cunningham

Stage Manager:  Jenni Little

Dramaturgy:  Bryan Delaney

Original Music: The Magpies (Pierpaolo Vitale)

Deeds of Deceit

Premiered at Chapel Royal, Dublin Castle, 3-6 July 2014. A newly commissioned play written by Matthew Ralli.

Deeds of Deceit was a commission by Dublin Castle/OPW to write a play about the mysterious theft of the Irish Crown Jewels in 1907. It was written by Matthew Ralli and staged in the Chapel Royal of Dublin Castle, 3rd-6th July 2014.

Reviews

The Reviews Hub

****stars "What comes across mostly about Deeds of Deceit is how extensively it has been researched, something which grounds the supernatural characters in reality, allowing the audience to make an informed decision on each of them. The script is clever, funny and well delivered..." Read review

No More Workhorse

"There is an impressive cast, with Margaret McAuliffe leading the events as Verity White. This is an entertaining ‘who done it’ that has no clear answer at the end and leaves it for you to decide..." Read review

Matthew Ralli - A Note from the Writer

On July 6th, 1907, just a few days before King Edward IV was due to visit Dublin, the Irish Crown Jewels were discovered stolen. They were kept in a steal safe inside the Bedford Tower of Dublin Castle, yet police found no forced entry and no trace whatsoever of the thief. What began as an intense police investigation twisted into a carefully construed cover-up. Government files were systematically erased, the thief allowed to escape punishment, the case dropped and the jewels never recovered. In Deeds of Deceit the colourful array of suspects are brought back to life with one last opportunity to speak the truth. A mysterious woman is their interrogator, the audience their jury.

The Creative Team. 

Writer:  Matthew Ralli

Director:  Matthew Ralli

Cast:  Michael James Ford, Gerald Lee, Gordon Mahn, Margaret McAuliffe, Deirdre Monaghan, Stephen Swift, Colm O'Brien, Matthew O'Brien.

Producer:  Melissa Nolan

Sound Design:  Carl Kennedy

Costume Design:  Rowena Cunningham 

The Art of Wedlock

Premiered at Chancery Lane Theatre, Feb 11-22, 2014. 

The Art of Wedlock is a selection of five one-act plays featuring the common theme of marriage. It was staged in a theatre pop up space on Chancery Lane and featured an ensemble cast of ten actors. 

Reviews

The Red Curtain

"This is Speckintime's first production and hopefully not their last. This is a group to look out for. I would not hesitate to see this again. It is truly one not to be missed. Whatever else you want to do, drop it and go see The Art of Wedlock first."   Read review

The Reviews Hub

****stars  "The journey taken by the audience here is a powerful one, as one experiences the optimism and fear of the early relationship, the frustration of the middle period and the anger, but also deep love that can come at the end of marriage."   Read review  

No More Workhorse

"There is a real sense of style about this production and a number of impressive performances from the strong ensemble cast."  Read review

The Plays

THE PROPOSAL by Anton Chekhov   Written over a century ago, The Proposal is the farcical story of a bachelor's desperate attempt to propose to his neighbour's daughter. Misunderstandings and haughty pride transform a straight forward question into hilarious tirades of argument and insult. 

HERE WE ARE by Dorothy Parker   An adaptation from a novella of the same name, this play, set in the 1960's, is a fifteen minute window into the lives of a young and naive newly-wedded couple. Virginal anxiety and petty jealousies fuel their awkward conversation, as they travel by train on their honeymoon to New York.

A MATTER OF HUSBANDS by Ferenc Molnar   A spiky little play in which a young wife visits a famous actress in order to accuse her of being in an affair with her husband. Utilising razor-sharp wit, the actress weaves a remarkable explanation with such conviction it has be true. Or is it? Ferenc Molnar was a Hungarian playwright who sought refuge in America in the 1930's.

A PROBLEM by A. R. Gurney   A seemingly happy W.A.S.P. husband and wife from mid-west America, play out an absurd and often hilarious encounter in their living room. In this very voyeuristic play, the narrative swings from one ridiculous topic to another, the combatants outdoing each other until the final outrageous climax.

ENEMIES by Hutchins Hapgood and Neith Boyce   Written almost a century ago, this play pits an aggrieved husband up against his aloof wife in a philosophical battle of wits. A sharp-edged piece of drama with an unexpected ending. 

The Creative Team. 

Director:  Matthew Ralli

Cast:  Dorothy Cotter, Annette Flynn, Diane Jennings, Gerry Lee, Ciaran McGlynn, Deirdre Monaghan, Melissa Nolan, Colm O'Brien, Matthew O'Brien, Simon Toal.

Producer:  Melissa Nolan

Sound Design:  Carl Kennedy

Costume Design:  Rowena Cunningham