A Stitch in summertime: Shandon Street shop to host one of Irene Kelleher's plays
The former J Nolan Stationery shop felt perfect for Kelleher's show, Stitch, which she describes as 'haunting". The play is set in a garment alteration shop in 1989. Pins and Needles, as it is called, is about to close down and be taken over by Xtravision.
'It was a family business but the only people left are seamstress Alice and her aunt Katie who live over the shop,' says Kelleher.
'It's going to be a huge change for Alice who, when the play opens, has been down in the basement for seven months, only coming up at night when there's nobody on the street. She has been doing her work in the basement. The place has quite a history.'
The play, loosely inspired by Frankenstein, is set at Halloween. Alice is particularly busy getting costumes ready for the spooky night ahead. Kelleher says that for her character, the past is lingering in the walls. Why the site specific setting rather than a traditional theatre space?
'When I performed my show, Gone Full Havisham, in the penthouse of the Clayton Hotel in 2019 for the CMF, there was something incredibly special for audiences about seeing it there," says Kelleher.
"We created a world into which the audience was thrown. When I write a play, I always think of the audience experience, trying to create it in my head. I thought it would be amazing if Stitch could be done in a shop where there's ghosts in the walls.
"When I went to see the shop, there was an old Singer sewing machine there which I took as a sign.'
Irene Kelleher.
Kelleher's other play, Footnote, set in a bookshop, will be performed by her at the Cork Theatre Collective Studio at the Triskel. The comedy already had a performance as a work-in-progress on Culture Night at Cork City Library last year.
It was inspired by Kelleher's experience of working in the former Liam Ruiseal's bookshop while she was studying English, and Theatre and Drama Studies at UCC. It is directed by Laura O'Mahony who also worked in the shop as a student of drama.
'We always thought a bookshop would be a great setting for a play. Laura has done some brilliant comedic sketches set in a bookshop over the years. I always wanted to write something in that setting but it took me a while to come up with the central character.'
Kelleher created the character of Noreen, a struggling writer, who lives in the shadow of her famous (fictional) mother, a poet and feminist activist. Whether Kelleher's real-life daughters will live in her shadow remains to be seen.
The writer/actor is no pushy stage mom. While Marie (three-and-a-half) and Katie (two) will be free to pursue their own interests, which for the eldest child, involves attending dance classes, Kelleher says, half-jokingly, she hopes Marie will go into credit control.
Such is her attitude to the insecure nature of working in the arts. However, Kelleher says she would 'go insane' if she had a more regular job.
'I always knew this is what I wanted to do. It's important for me to keep working and to keep creative. I know I'm in a privileged position in that I don't have to work full time.'
Cork Midsummer Festival
As the chief carer for her daughters, Kelleher says she is now very particular about what work she will take on. Writing plays was initially an outlet for performance but Kelleher has really grown to love the art form and she can work at it around her children's activities.
Her husband, Denis O'Sullivan, works from home for an American IT company and Kelleher says he is very supportive. Kelleher will be busy for six weeks in the lead up to and during the CMF.
'We make it work. Denis will be off for two weeks during my busy time. After that, the cavalry – the grannies and aunties – will help out," she explains.
The two shows are produced by Mighty Oak Productions, with Stitch directed by Regina Crowley. Cormac O'Connor has designed the soundscape and has also branched into lighting. Costumes are a huge part of Stitch and are designed by Valentia Gambardella.
Kelleher says she feels honoured to have two shows being staged in the CMF. 'They are very different and they reflect me as an artist.'
Stitch is on from June 13-22 apart from June 16 and 17 at J Nolan 21, Shandon Street.
Footnote is on June 14, 16 and 17 at the Triskel. See corkmidsummer.com
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