The Daughters of Róisín
McNamara Seated Highlights
23/11/2023 2:00pm , 23/11/2023 8:00pm
The London Irish Centre presents: The Daughters of Róisín – A Wee Yarn Production in association with Sole Purpose Productions. Written and performed by Aoibh Johnson and directed by Cahal Clarke.
Date: Thursday 23rd November 2023
Times: Matinee– Doors: 1.30pm Show: 2pm // Evening– Doors: 7.30pm Show: 8pm
Price: £12
Duration: 55 mins
About the play:
Confined to a room for nine months in a house she once called her
home.
The Daughters of Róisín by Aoibh Johnson is a poignant ode to Ireland’s hidden past that
explores the church and state sanctioned abuse against women over the last 100
years. The play uses song, poetry, Irish history and ghostly silence to explore
the experience of unmarried mothers and their babies who were forced to suffer
at the hands of the church and state. Though heavy, the piece has moments of
humour, lightness and an Irish backbone that takes the audience on an emotional
journey.
The play was produced
for a run in the Adelaide Fringe Festival in Australia in 2020 where it
received critical acclaim. It has sold out performances and standing ovations
in Belfast and Dublin.
“Aoibh Johnson has a captivating presence.” The Adelaide Show
*****
“Excellent. Seeing it once might just not be enough.” Everything
Theatre
“Powerfully and brilliantly executed. Genius.” Bernadette Devlin
McAliskey
**Please be aware that this play deals with themes of institutional abuse that some may find triggering.
Aoibh Johnson
Aoibh Johnson is a playwright,
poet, theatre maker and copywriter from County Tyrone. She has been touring her
production The
Daughters of Róisínfor the last two years and works
extensively with artists, marginalised groups and local community organisations
using creativity, performance and the power of writing to explore contemporary
and historical issues. Aoibh has recently been appointed Writer in Residence at
the Duncairn Arts Centre in Belfast and is one of Tinderbox Theatre Company's
Incubate Artists for 2023. Aoibh wrote The
Daughters of Róisín while studying Feminist Protest for her Masters Degree
at Ulster University and is passionate about advocating for women's rights and
using archive to explore historical narratives.
Wee
Yarn Productions
Wee Yarn Productions is
a theatre company founded by Cahal Clarke and Aoibh Johnson in 2019. They
completed a tour of this production in Australia in 2020, only to have had
their wings clipped with the pandemic's impact on the theatre industry. They
are back now to re-produce the play in Ireland and the UK, and only hope to
continue making new work and engaging with the industry at home.
Sole Purpose
Productions
Sole Purpose
Productions is a multi award winning theatre company that has been making
theatre on social and public issues for 25 years. Based in The Derry Playhouse
they have toured all over Ireland, the UK and the USA. They are delighted to be
collaborating with Wee Yarn Productions on this magnificent piece.
