The Laughter of our Children
With rehearsals in full swing for The Laughter of Our Children, a new play about the 1981 hunger strike, director Pam Brighton of the Dubbeljoint Theatre Company spoke to An Phoblacht about the production and its importance in this, the 20th anniversary of the 1981 hunger strike.
``It is an incredibly sad play'', said Brighton, ``but as it explores the deaths of the 10 men it also deals with the optimism that they bequeathed.''
Written by former hunger striker Laurence McKeown and Brian Campbell, who was also a political prisoner, the play explores the impact of the H Block protest on the prisoners and their families and supporters outside the prison.
``According to Brighton, the play is written from a very personal perspective, given the experiences of the writers. But in the way it interweaves the lives of the main characters, two university students, the script draws out the different attitudes and views they have of the jail protest.
``One of them is a `Thatcher's child', with all the cynicism and self-interested worldview that that entails, while the other ends up joining the IRA in response to the hunger strike.
``But there are a wide range of views explored in the play, including those of a father who is opposed to his son joining the hunger strike and the local conflicts of a teacher who supports the H Block campaign. There is also local priest Fr Boyle, who struggles to control his parishioners who rally round and support the prisoners.
Terry Cruncher O'Neill, the well known Belfast singer who has acted in previous Dubbeljoint plays, also performs. ``The script brings it all back and it is very realistic and very emotional,'' he says. ``But it isn't despairing, the play puts the sacrifice and commitment of the hunger strikers into a very positive context.''
The Laughter of Our Children opens in Amharclann na Carraige, Belfast, on 2 May and runs until Sunday 6 May. It then goes to the New Lodge, Belfast before touring in Bellaghy, Derry City, Coalisland, County Tyrone, Dublin, Waterford Armagh, County Donegal and back to Twinbrook in Belfast on 26 May. For further information ring 028 90 202222.
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