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| Photo by Publicis and Leo Byrne. |
Tell me about HEAVEN - what’s the show like? Who do you play?
Janet: The show is a really brilliant excavation of the most private thoughts of a couple in a marriage that kind of works but is missing a fundamental part of a marriage, desire. It’s funny, surprising, sad and profound.
I play Mairead, who in many ways is her own worst enemy. She’s tough because she’s had to be but she’s emotionally intelligent, complicated and honest about herself.
What is it about your character that you most enjoy?
Andrew: What I most admire in Mal’s character is his honesty. Both characters are entirely honest when talking to the audience. Maybe less so in their real lives and that’s part of the strength of the play; Mairead and Mal need the audience and I think audiences feel that.
How do you connect with your role?
A: I’ve always been a fan of Eugene’s work; I loved his play Eden. We are around the same age, we’re both from rural Ireland and we were both educated by the Jesuits. All of that is true of Mal, the character I play.
How does Eugene O’Brien’s writing resonate with you? Do you have any favourite lines/passages? How does Jim Culleton’s direction help translate O’Brien’s words?
J: Eugene’s writing is extraordinarily characterful and truthful. He can turn between edgy and tragedy on a dime. The characters are surprising but recognisable.
I love performing the bits where I get a bit unruly at the wedding reception but the whole thing is a thrill to perform.
Jim has a brilliant confidence as a director. He’s endlessly reassuring and famously one of the nicest men in Ireland. He has real trust in actors and a lovely sense of detail.
What was your highlight of the production process?
A: One of them was definitely the first read through. I had read the play before a few times but then I concentrated entirely on Mal as I was learning the lines. The day we came into the rehearsal room and sat around a table and read it, the show came alive. The interaction between the two voices is very cleverly worked out; Eugene uses it to examine the intimacies and distances between people in a marriage, often to hilarious effect.
What can audiences expect from the show?
A: The show takes the form of intercut monologues between a married couple. It looks at being in your fifties and asking do you settle for a kind of limbo or do you dare to take a leap in the hope of heaven. Is the truth too dangerous?
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| Photo by Ste Murray |
Who do you imagine enjoying the show the most?
A: I would have said the people who would enjoy the play most would be Irish country people in their 50’s (and they certainly laugh more than anyone) but having done the play in Edinburgh and New York I can confidently say that anyone can get this play, young or old, Irish or other, urban or rural.
You’ve performed the show in Dublin, New York, Edinburgh and now taking it to London for the first time. What’s it been like staying with a show that long? Do you feel like your performance has evolved from the first run?
J: It’s been a real gift to stay with a show like this for so long. Parts like this are the ones you wait for. It’s a big challenge to perform and in the early days there’s more nerves whereas now that I know it so well, it’s deeply satisfying to perform. I think as it’s gone on, I’ve been able to play it in a deeper, more alive, spontaneous way.
What are you looking forward to most about performing at Southwark Playhouse and returning to the Traverse in Edinburgh?
J: I’m really excited to be in London. See shows, go to the galleries, museums. Can’t wait to see how the play goes down there. I also can’t wait to be in Edinburgh outside of the festival to get a real sense of the city. Also, the second hand books shops there are a real treat.
Fishamble - The New Play Company presents HEAVEN by Eugene O’Brien at Southwark Playhouse Borough, 5-22 February; Traverse Theatre Edinburgh, 25 February - 1 March; and tours Ireland until April.
Ticket links:
Southwark Playhouse - www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/heaven
Edinburgh Traverse - https://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event/heaven-spring-25
Irish Tour, Various Venues - https://www.fishamble.com/heaven.html
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