'It's very very Irish,' says Tipperary actor on play showcasing at Junction Arts Festival
In this work-in-progress play by Anseo Anois Theatre, three friends reunite in their hometown on the eve of a funeral to stay awake overnight and keep vigil over the body.
The Junction Arts Festival begins this week and Clonmel-based actor Éanna Grogan speaks with Tipperary Live before his performance of the play ‘Keeping Vigil’ on July 4 in Bakers Bar, as part of the festival.
The work in progress play, written by by Oonagh Wall, is described as a comedic study of malleable memory, past selves, and the funeral rites that bind us. It is directed by Ross Fitzpatrick and starrs Amy Kidd, Darragh Gilhooly and Éanna Grogan.
The play begins in Baker's Bar in Clonmel on July 4 at 7pm, tickets are €10 and can be purchased here.
“The play started out as a theatre piece, and then covid hit and we had to adapt it to be a zoom play," says Éanna.
“We were asked to do something for The Junction Arts Festival, and we said we’d love to bring the play back and perform the full version that we always wanted to do, but could never.
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“It’s about three old friends, on the eve of a funeral, who come together to keep vigil over the body. It’s very very Irish.
“You have three people with all of these complicated relationships confined to the one room, and all of the tensions of the characters are bound to resurface at some stage," he says.
Oonagh Wall has written a number of plays for the theatre company, Anseo Anois Theatre, Éanna tells Tipperary Live.
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“The company was founded in 2019 by myself, Amy Kidd and Oonagh.
“Amy is a graduate of the Lir Academy, we graduated the same year from the school.
"The play itself takes place in a pub, as we really don't have a theatre that works for new shows," says Éanna.
“We have a beautiful old listed building, The White Memorial Theatre, but it’s old. There needs to be an injection of support if we want to keep the arts scene alive in towns like this," he concludes.