Limerick's Bottom Dog Theatre to honour John Murphy with Four Pulitzer Plays

BOTTOM Dog Theatre Company are returning to Limerick’s No.1 Pery Square Hotel this September, with four of their much-loved rehearsed readings every Sunday at 8pm.

Beginning in 2009, Bottom Dog Theatre Company’s yearly series of play readings was an annual fixture in Limerick’s artistic calendar until a lack of funding saw their decline. Their last outing amidst Covid restrictions in late 2020 was FOUR PARTY PLAYS.

It’s a bittersweet return to the readings, which have been planned since earlier this year, as Bottom Dog lost their dear friend and colleague John Murphy, who was last seen performing on stage in that series' ‘The Party’ by Jane Arden, directed by Tara Doolan.

A founder member of Island Theatre Company in 1988, and firm fixture as front of house manager at the Belltable and Lime Tree theatres in more recent times, the arts community came together as a whole to mourn his tragic passing last week at his memorial service on August 26.

Bottom Dog producer Myles Breen said: "We were struggling to know whether to go forward on this series so recently after John’s passing, but we thought in some way creating these opportunities for actor and audience alike to experience these rarely staged award-winning plays, seemed fitting".

"John directed many of our readings, most memorably Journey’s End which he was so passionate about - we’d tried to get project funding to stage it fully over the years - but as an actor he was always involved too. He was in our first ever reading MEDEA in 2009, our last series in 2020, and 10 more in between, we’re just heartbroken we won’t get to drag him out of ‘retirement’ again this time," he continued.

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Bottom Dog's return to the readings was kicked off with a local grant application for a grant under the arts. Having received €1000, the group knew it wouldn't be enough for the whole series, but it gave them the push to find more. They managed to secure another €1000 from the recent Limerick night time economy grant, an ideal fit for their Sunday evening entertainment.

To stage all four readings, however – and most importantly pay all the actors, directors and crew involved even a modest fee - meant more was needed, and thankfully local business came in to bridge the gap.

Bottom Dog producer Liam O’Brien explained: "Our main supporter and partner for years on the readings has been Patricia Roberts and the venue itself at No. 1 Pery Square. It’s the ideal, elegant setting for a Sunday night reading and a social gathering before and after. We can’t put a price on what Patricia and her team have done for our work in Limerick.

"We are also hugely proud and grateful to announce that John and Michelle Sadlier from Sadlier’s Fish and Poultry, and Daire Scanlon from Scanlon’s Pharmacy have come on board as financial sponsors of the event. 

"It’s so wonderful to see business leaders in the city row in behind the arts, and particularly those like us at grassroots level without core funding, to ensure a diverse programme of events continue across the city, and artists at every stage of their careers get paid opportunities in Limerick. 

"Together with our much-appreciated local council funding, we’re at the start of an interesting opportunity for arts and business to both invest in their community, and enjoy the benefits and indeed entertainment locally."

Bottom Dog, who were awarded civic honours by Limerick Council in 2016 for their contribution to arts and role as cultural ambassadors for the city, have been producing new and dynamic work in the city for 15 years this year.

In 2022, the company staged the world premiere of Gravity (A Love Story) by Neil Flynn, and directed by multi award-winning director Conall Morrison at the Belltable theatre through project funding by the national Arts Council.

To date the company has staged 15 productions, 9 nationwide tours, staged 49 public play readings, played to over 35,000 people and employed hundreds of actors, creatives and crew - creating opportunities for professional artists from the city to not only showcase their work, but to develop and thrive on the local, national and international stage.

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Liam O’Brien added: "It’s important to come back to our dear friend John Murphy on this. I first worked with John when I was 18 on my first professional play Borrowed Robes, with Terry Devlin at Island Theatre Company. He was a mentor, a colleague but in the truest sense a real friend. Rarely did a week go by without a coffee or chat over the last 26 years. 

"He was beyond passionate about theatre in Limerick, but at the most basic level he just wanted ‘the work to be good’ and in his words ‘to occasionally get paid’. Thanks to our funders and sponsors for Four Pulitzer Plays we can do the latter. In his honour we’re going to get back to work to do the former."

The theme, as mentioned by Liam, is great American dramas that have won the esteemed Pulitzer prize, established in 1917 by the will and estate of Hungarian-American politician and newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer.

The plays to be performed include: The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds by Paul Zindel on September 8, directed by Cllr Shane Hickey O'Mara, Wit by Margaret Edson on September 15, directed by Eloise Hickey, and Seascape by Edward Albee on September 22, directed by Myles Breen

The final reading will be announced shortly and staged on Sunday, September 29 at 8pm.

Seating is limited for the readings at No. 1 Pery Square, so booking is essential.

To reserve seats please text 085 208 5737.

Admission is on a pay what you can admission at the door.