yay.ie

THE FAMILY. A play by THEATREclub at the Project Arts Centre. It’s about YOU and EVERYONE you know. You can win tickets to see it here.

Part of me wishes that THEATREclub were wrong, that this play wasn’t about my family. But then they go and share things like this:

or like this:

and it’s scenes like this that breaks what they’re showing at the Project Arts Centre from theatre into drama, and there’s an important distinction there. When you see THE FAMILY, you’ll know the people in it, whether you want to or not.

Since the foundation of the State, The Family was the bedrock of Irish society. At a time when the very fabric of the nation is being called into question, THEATREclub are making a play that explodes the idea of the contemporary Irish family and helps us to understand where to go from here. THEATREclub are tearing up “An Teaghlaigh”.

Spirit of the Fringe winners THEATREclub are back in Project Arts Centre with a play that’s about you and EVERYONE you know. THE FAMILY is a play about your family.

THE FAMILY is THEATREclub’s answer to the panto.

It’s all singing all dancing; chips flying, plates breaking…
Come and watch the family fight, love and try to make dinner.
They will cry and stare as funds get thinner.
BUT The Family love each other,
Cos after all, you can choose your friends….

• Conceived and Devised by the cast, Grace Dyas and Doireann Coady
• Directed by Grace Dyas
• Performed by Brian Bennett, Shane Byrne, Gemma Collins, Gerard Kelly, Lauren Larkin, Louise Lewis, Barry O’Connor
• Set Design by Doireann Coady
• Costume by Emma Fraser
• Lighting Design by Eoin Winning
• Produced by Grace Dyas, Lara Hickey and Project Arts Centre

I saw THE FAMILY last February as part of THEATREclub‘s THE THEATRE MACHINE TURNS YOU ON and it was powerful, raw, provocative, sometimes uncomfortable but insightful and with a strong vein of personality and humour running through it. I look forward to seeing it again just to see if I have a similar reaction to it.

It is a very strong cast from a very talented theatre Company. This is one people will be talking about.

“For those who wonder where the energy and engagement of Irish playwriting has been diverted, THEATREclub and a new generation of adventurous theatremakers may be the answer.” Peter Crawley, The Irish Times

“THEATREclub have drawn an impressive expressionistic portrait of family life that’s at once deeply unsettling and unexpectedly moving.” Irish Theatre Magazine

Talk about they will at a series of events to accompany the play. Full details can be found here, with the event on Wednesday January 25 being definitely one I’d love to attend:

“I think it’s time for you to go home now” – Addiction and its effects on Irish Families. Panel Guests include Frances Black, founder of The Rise Foundation and Graham Ryall of The Rialto Community Drugs Team

With thanks to THEATREclub and the Project Arts Centre, we have a competition for tickets to see THE FAMILY this week. You can win a pair of tickets to any night Wednesday 18 to Saturday 21.

The show itself is at 8pm and tickets are €18/€15/€12. It runs to January 28. You can buy tickets online here.

To be in with a chance of winning, just post below with which day you’d like tickets for.

Winners will be chosen at random and emailed. Thanks again to THEATREclub (on Facebook here) and to Róisín at the Project Arts Centre.