New play depicts prison struggle
Teacht Abhaile
Wednesday, 27 October
The Playhouse Theatre, Derry
Just under a year ago, a number of Derry women came together to share their experience of imprisonment and the impact it had on them and their families. The group included former political prisoners, partners, relatives and friends of prisoners. Indeed, between them, they encompassed a vast array of experiences and had many stories to be told. I am certain that none of them ever imagined that all of this would have culminated in the powerful and moving piece of drama staged for the first time in the Playhouse Theatre in Derry last week.
I was very privileged to be there on that first night and I was in awe of the performances given by the cast, most of whom had never performed in public before.
The play, Teacht Abhaile, was written by the group initially for themselves but thankfully they allowed the rest of us to share it. They were ably assisted by local playwright Pat Mulkeen, who helped bring a sharp edge to the production.
In the space of just over one hour they had their audience laughing and smiling at situations familiar to us all. Tears welled up in eyes as we listened to the prisoner, the partner, a mother, and children reminding us of the lesser known aspects of imprisonment, of the isolation, the hardships, the loneliness, the fears, the doubts, the questions to which no answers ever came.
This was achieved by the excellent use of monologue. It was an intimate message, as the cast was aware that many in the audience had been through similar experiences. The cast was speaking for partners, wives, and families and perhaps for the first time, ex-prisoners were hearing something which they knew to be so, but no one had ever actually spoken the words.
Seán, (the released prisoner) spoke, perhaps on all our behalfs, remarking on the strength and commitment necessary to face having a loved one in prison. The seemingly endless trips to the jail, the protests, the lobbying and of course just the small matter of keeping the family and home together!!! Seán, you said it all for us, go raibh maith agat.
Cúnamh, which initiated the prisoners partners group, is also to be congratulated for providing the space for this project to develop the way it did. In introducing the play, Cathy Nelis expressed the hope that Teacht Abhaile would be part of a process in which our own community would write its own history. It certainly achieves that and much more.
I have deliberately not singled out one performance over another. This was a collective piece of writing, each performance was a collective effort, and the praise for it, which cannot be too high, is also collective. This was a story told with passion and emotion and acted out perfectly. To you all, maith sibhse.
BY RAYMOND McCARTNEY (Former POW and hunger striker)
Teacht Abhaile will play for two extra dates in Derry's Playhouse on Saturday, 13 and Sunday 14 November and then in Belfast in the Golden Thread Theatre, Brookfield Mills on Friday 26 November (Bookings 352345), and at Amharclann na Carraige, Whiterock Road, on Saturday 27 November (Bookings 202222).
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