"Through the Dark Clouds Shining" Play

[irishmen1916]

Hi Pals,

I came across this play while out last night and did some googling this morning for the details. Its on in the Civic Theatre, Tallaght, Dublin on the 13th & 14th Nov. If anybody is in Dublin City that weekend and would like directions then please let me know, as its simple to get there from the centre. See all the details below.

Peter

Rain King Productions presentThrough the Dark Clouds ShiningBy Neil RichardsonDirected by Caroline BarryStarring Stephen Jones, Tommy Campbell, Rory Dignam, Vincent Browning Based on stories from the book A Coward If I Return, A Hero If I FallBy Neil Richardson, Due for publication by O'Brien Press in 2010. In 1914-1918, 200,000 Irishmen went to war. At least 35,000 never came home. Those that did were scarred, maimed and haunted for the rest of their lives... 'Through the Dark Clouds Shining' is the story of four men: Athlone-man Michael Curley, a seasoned experienced soldier but with a terrible burden on his soul; Jack West from Galway, a religious believer looking for some meaning in this war; Limerick-man Eddie O'Hara, an innocent and naive fresh recruit searching for his missing brother; and Dubliner Harry Burke, a veteran looking back on the war and remembering what it did to some of his fellow Irishmen. They all went for different reasons, but at the end of the day, all those reasons melted away in the face of shellfire, machine guns, bayonets, rats and mud. It exposed them all as mere mortals trapped in hell – human beings against the fury of mechanised slaughter. Those who managed to survive were abandoned and forgotten by their countrymen, while far away, the dead lay silent in foreign graves. This is their story... Friday 13^th & Saturday 14^th November 2009 @ 8.15pmAdmission: €15

[irishmen1916]

Just bringing this up again, in case anybody missed it.

Peter

[Murrough]

Thanks for the tip off Peter, I can't make it but will keep an eye out for it here in Galway.

Regards,

Murrough.

[Ian Murphy]

Peter,

Sounds like a fascinating play.

Any idea, or is it too early to know if there are any plans for it to cross to an English theatre at all?

Thanks,

Ian.

[irishmen1916]

Thanks for the tip off Peter, I can't make it but will keep an eye out for it here in Galway.

Regards,

Murrough.

Murrough please see below about the author, and dates its on in Athlone next year.

Ian. I will try and find out if its to cross the water at any time.

Peter

On Friday 13th and Saturday 14th November 2009, Neil Richardson WW1 play – Through the Dark Clouds Shining – will be performed in the Civic Theatre, Tallaght, Dublin (tickets €15). Neil is a private with HQ Coy, 56 Res Inf Bn., Custume Barracks, Athlone and the play is based on stories from his upcoming book, A Coward If I Return, A Hero If I Fall: Stories of Irishmen in WW1, due for publication with O’Brien Press in 2010. The play is also due to travel to Athlone, where it will be performed in the Athlone Little Theatre on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th February 2010 (tickets €12).

Act one is set in the trenches and revolves around the real-life characters of Sergeant Michael Curley from Athlone (an article by Neil about Michael Curley appeared in a recent edition of An Cosantoir), and his comrade Jack West. At Ypres in 1914, Curley allegedly committed an act of terrible desperation, and it is this act which has inspired his story in the play. Act two is a one-man act told through the fictional character of Harry Burke – an old Dubliner looking back on his days in the war – although all of Harry’s experiences in the play are based on real events, albeit borrowed from the lives of other Irish soldiers.

[Ian Murphy]

Murrough please see below about the author, and dates its on in Athlone next year.

Ian. I will try and find out if its to cross the water at any time.

Peter

On Friday 13th and Saturday 14th November 2009, Neil Richardson WW1 play – Through the Dark Clouds Shining – will be performed in the Civic Theatre, Tallaght, Dublin (tickets €15). Neil is a private with HQ Coy, 56 Res Inf Bn., Custume Barracks, Athlone and the play is based on stories from his upcoming book, A Coward If I Return, A Hero If I Fall: Stories of Irishmen in WW1, due for publication with O’Brien Press in 2010. The play is also due to travel to Athlone, where it will be performed in the Athlone Little Theatre on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th February 2010 (tickets €12).

Act one is set in the trenches and revolves around the real-life characters of Sergeant Michael Curley from Athlone (an article by Neil about Michael Curley appeared in a recent edition of An Cosantoir), and his comrade Jack West. At Ypres in 1914, Curley allegedly committed an act of terrible desperation, and it is this act which has inspired his story in the play. Act two is a one-man act told through the fictional character of Harry Burke – an old Dubliner looking back on his days in the war – although all of Harry’s experiences in the play are based on real events, albeit borrowed from the lives of other Irish soldiers.

Thanks Peter,

The outline description in your final paragraph makes me even more interested to see the play!

All the best,

Ian.

[inishowen]

Hi Peter,

Any update on this? Any reviews?

[irishmen1916]

Hi Peter,

Any update on this? Any reviews?

Sorry Finbar, came down with the swine flu, so spent the best part of that week in bed, only just made my trip to Paris, and the less said about that the better, I am hoping to get to it when its on in Athlone in February, if anybody else is going then, a meet up could be sorted ?

Peter

[irishmen1916]

Just wanted to give you a update on this play, as I said due to the flu I missed this play when it was on in Tallaght Dublin last November, the play was sold out and I reprint a review below. I did say in a post that the play was to have been on in Athlone later this weekend, but this is not to be, in fact the news is better, Neil Richardson after more research has reworked his play and the result is "From The Shannon To The Somme" a new play which will play at the Athlone Little Theatre on Friday 26th & Saturday 27th March next. Due to work I will miss this (yet again) but if anybody is intending to attend this, then book early.

Peter

An Cosantóir – The Defence Forces Magazine (Dec-Jan 2010 editon) – by Sgt. David Nagle

‘Through the Dark Clouds Shining is an evocative story of a group of Irishmen who endured the harsh realities of trench warfare during World War One. Writer Neil Richardson … has ably adapted the real life story of Athlone man, Sgt Michael Curley into a play – well worth a night out at the theatre.

‘From the start, you are catapulted into the trenches and are made to feel like free-faced soldiers as the seasoned Connaught Ranger, Sgt Michael Curley, gives his new platoon the ‘do’s and don’ts’ and what he expects of them – if they were to survive. In his dugout, Curley debates with comrade, Sgt Jack West, about the futility of the war, the situation in Ireland, their concerns for their men and their families at home …

‘In act two, you are introduced to WW1 veteran and Dubliner Harry Burke. In a superb monolgue, the audience are brought on a journey of a 16-year-old boy who joins up and takes part in some of the bloodiest battles of the war. Burke recalls his comrades lost, his hopes for love on his return, his pride having served, his mental and physical scars and the ridicule he as a WW1 veteran endured from an uncaring Irish population for taking the King’s shilling.

‘Though the story of the Irishmen who fought in World War One is well documented, Through the Dark Clouds Shining gives a fresh perspective on the horror, sense of duty and comradeship that these men experienced. Many joined up in the belief that their service would help Ireland secure its freedom after the war.

‘The cast skillfully portrayed the spirit, the humour and concerns of the characters, especially Vincent Browning, whose monologue as Burke was compelling. The director and production team must be commended in staging the play in an intimate setting, which gives the audience a feeling that they are in the scene.’