Offaly native stars in one-woman play coming to Birr

December 2023 will see the critically acclaimed one-woman play “OCD Me” coming to Birr Theatre and Arts Centre for the Offaly leg of its Irish tour.

Starring Laura Whelan, who hails from Edenderry, this play made its debut at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it received ‘enthusiastic audience reviews’, and has since been performed in several Irish venues. Now, the play is touring counties Louth, Mayo, Cavan, Clare, Offaly, and Dublin for both general and school showings.

Writer/Director, Aisling Smith, was diagnosed with OCD in 2008. This play was written in order to show what it's really like for people living with the condition, and to combat the misrepresentation that is often shown in today’s popular culture.

The play follows Sarah, played by Laura Whelan, who was diagnosed with OCD a decade ago. “She’s been managing it pretty well, but it’s hard living in a world that tells you to ‘follow your gut’, when your gut is telling you to touch the door handle 64 times.

She’s here to share her story and let you know that there’s much more to the condition than the stereotypes we see on TV”.

Hailing from Edenderry, Laura Whelan grew up on a farm with her mam, dad, and three older brothers. After achieving a BA in commerce from University Galway, Laura began a career in marketing - first in Dublin and then in the USA; but in 2020 she decided to leave that behind and pursue acting instead. She trained at Bow Street Academy for Screen Acting in Dublin, before receiving training in the art and practice of stage craft from Helena Walsh (The Actor's Practice) and Kathleen Warner Yeates (Flying Turtle Productions).

Theatre credits include Spider in Pigeon (Scene and Heard Festival 2023), Helena in Midsummer Night's Dreamers and Catherine in Proof (Turtle Productions, The New Theatre Dublin). Short Film credits: Orla in Shee (2022); Leanne in Rum and Raisin (2021) (Winner of Best Dublin Short Film, Bloomsday Film Festival 2022); and Julie in Stable (Galway Film Fleadh 2023).

The play runs on Friday December 1st 2023 in Birr Theatre and Arts Centre. The school showing is at 11:45am (€7 per student and teachers going free), with the general showing at 8pm (€15 general admission or €12 concession, +€2 booking fee). Booking can be done online at www.birrtheatre.ie, or over the phone on (057) 912 2911.