Latest news with #CaitríonaDaly
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
The Lunch Punch Power Hour: Fionn Foley on office life, unhinged
'I knew it was a unique opportunity to be part of work that embodies everything I love about theatre; high comedy, sharp satire and characters that feel real in surreal circumstances...' Actor Fionn Foley introduces Caitríona Daly's new play The Lunch Punch Power Hour in Conference Room 4, coming to the coming to the Peacock Stage at the Abbey Theatre from 31 July. "What do you do yourself anyway?" A perfunctory question we've all been asked at some point by a taxi driver, barber or a silence-averse uncle at a family gathering. For actors, it's a tense moment. Do you tell the truth and in doing so, open the conversation up to a wide-ranging series of follow-ups that include but are not limited to: 1) Do people give you money in exchange for doing that? 2) Would I know you from anything? (this one induces existential crisis instantly) 3) Would you, in fact, give 'the ads' a go? (followed by specific brand suggestions) 4) Are you one of the Gleeson brothers? (you're usually not) "I'm a chartered accountant" I say. And what starts off as a sad attempt at stifling what would no doubt be a well-meaning interrogation of craft evolves into a daring attempt to pass myself off as a gentleman of numbers. A chance to live in the skin of another - like what Daniel Day Lewis would do if he returned to the screen in a film about chartered accountants. However, I am wearing a bright blue bomber jacket, floral shirt and my hairstyle adds four inches to my heightso the taxi driver/barber/uncle has not believed a second of the masquerade. I am about to play Daniel in Caitríona Daly's The Lunch Punch Power Hour in Conference Room 4 on the Peacock Stage at the Abbey Theatre. Daniel is a Senior Associate at Gresham Professional Services, a hedge fund management firm. He's a thirty-something Offaly man who found himself ascending the totem pole of corporate finance with minimal levels of effort and interest. He's always felt uncomfortable in Dublin, yet he'd be seen as a jackeen in the midlands and this crisis of identity has caused him to start behaving erratically. Like his colleagues Clodagh, Jess and HR Lady Susan (played by the superb Caoimhe O'Malley, Emma Dargan-Reid and Helen Norton respectively) he is only now starting to lift the veil that corporate strictures have placed on his life. Theatre-wise, I've been lucky enough in recent years to be able to focus on writing (and sometimes performing in) my own work and have been living in London for the last year with my wife and a very large bird-of-paradise plant. However, within minutes of reading Caitríona's deeply funny and intelligent play I knew it was a unique opportunity to be part of work that embodies everything I love about theatre; high comedy, sharp satire and characters that feel real in surreal circumstances. You could say it would have been the perfect chance to perfect my 'chartered accountant-type' persona, but as it turns out, there is no such thing. The Lunch Punch Power Hour in Conference Room 4 follows four individuals that have the same hopes and dreams, faults and failings as everyone else - but are bound together in a corporate system that can only succeed when they are ground down to faceless, homogenized employees. When they reject it, the fun really starts.
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Barmy, chaotic comedy tackles the world of corporate philanthropy
'The Lunch Punch Power Hour in Conference Room 4' on the Peacock Stage, Abbey Theatre is clever and bamboozling but perhaps too unruly to fully take a deep dive into the serious themes it explores The Irish business world is having a moment on the Dublin stage, with this absurdist frolic into corporate shenanigans following on from Sugarglass's production of Molière at Smock Alley. Caitríona Daly's new play has a lot going for it, but it only really gets into its stride towards the end. The play follows two senior colleagues and a roped-in recent hire having a meeting to determine what a social responsibility budget surplus should be spent on. Executive assistant Clodagh (Caoimhe O'Malley) wants it spent on saving the bees. Working-from-home executive Daniel (Fionn Foley) wants it spent on his daughter's Offaly GAA club. Jess, the recently hired receptionist (Emma Dargan-Reid), is mainly trying to find her feet and not get fired. And Susan (Helen Norton), the HR head, is hovering outside the room, trying to gain access through the locked door.
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Win a golden ticket to the Abbey Theatre, the National Theatre of Ireland.
The National Theatre of Stories - a celebration of epic Irish storytelling is at the heart of the Abbey Theatre's artistic programme for 2025. The National Theatre of Ireland will feature the best of new Irish playwriting, with six world premieres from playwrights Kevin Barry, Barbara Bergin, Marina Carr, Carys D. Coburn, Caitríona Daly and Jimmy McAleavey set for the Abbey and Peacock Stages. The six playwrights represent an assortment of the most thrilling voices in Irish playwriting today. The six plays are: The Cave , written by Kevin Barry and directed by Caitríona McLaughlin: June 6th to July 18th on the Abbey Stage. Static , written by Jimmy McAleavey and directed by John King: June 20th to July 18th on the Peacock Stage. The Lunch Punch Power Hour in Conference Room 4 , written by Caitríona Daly and directed by Raymond Keane: July 31st to September 6th on the Peacock Stage. The Boy , written by Marina Carr and directed by Caitríona McLaughlin: September 15th to November 1st on the Abbey Stage. BÁN , written by Carys D. Coburn and directed by Claire O'Reilly: September 30th to November 8th on the Peacock Stage. Dublin Gothic , written by Barbara Bergin and directed by Caroline Byrne: November 21st to January 31st, 2025 on the Abbey Stage. Learn more about these six plays and see what else is on at your national theatre here . For your chance to win, simply fill in the form below. Good luck! Terms & Condition The promotion is open to residents of Ireland aged 18 years or over except employees of the Promoter, their families, agents or anyone professionally connected with the promotion. A valid entry consists of a correct answer entered in the form above, accompanied by the entrant's name, email address and a phone number. No applications from agents, third parties, organised groups or applications automatically generated by computer will be accepted. No incomplete, illegible, or corrupted entries will be accepted. No entries not in accordance with the entry instructions will be accepted. The Promotion will run from 23/05/2025 to midnight on 08/06/2025 inclusive. All entries must be received by the Promoter by no later than midnight on the Closing Date. All competition entries received after the Closing Date are automatically disqualified. Promotion limited to one entry per person. No entrant will win more than one prize. By submitting an entry to the Promoter, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions. It is the responsibility of You, the entrant, to provide correct, up-to-date details when entering the promotion and on acceptance of the prize. The Promoter cannot be held responsible for winners failing to supply accurate information which affects prize acceptance or delivery of their prize Responsibility will not be accepted for entries lost, damaged, delayed or prevented as a result of any event beyond the Promoter's control including, but not limited to, user error and any network, computer, hardware or software failures of any kind.. Proof of sending is not proof of receipt. Entries will become the property of the Promoter. The prize is two tickets to each Abbey Theatre world premiere production scheduled for 2025 including: The Cave by Kevin Barry, Static by Jimmy McAleavey, The Lunch Punch Power Hour in Conference Room 4 by Caitríona Daly, The Boy by Marina Carr, Bán by Carys D. Coburn and Dublin Gothic by Barbara Bergin. There will be one winner. All prizes will be subject to any additional terms and conditions of the supplier of the prize to the Promoter. This prize is valid for 12 months from date of issue, is subject to availability and cannot be refunded or redeemed for cash. The Promoter shall not be liable for any loss, including, without limitation, indirect, special or consequential loss, or loss of profits, damage or consequential damage of any nature in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise caused by the acceptance of the terms and conditions or in connection with the prize, save for any liability which cannot be excluded by law. In the event of unforeseen circumstances the Promoter reserves the right to substitute the prize for an alternative of equal or greater value. The winners will be notified by email. The winner must claim the prize within 30 days of the notification. If the prize is unclaimed after this time, it will lapse and the Promoter reserves the right to offer the unclaimed prize to a substitute winner selected in accordance with the Promotion rules. Where a winner has successfully claimed the prize, the Promoter shall dispatch, or arrange to dispatch, the prize to the winner at the earliest opportunity. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall be interpreted as placing an obligation on the Promoter to dispatch, or arrange to dispatch, the prize within a specified period of time. The Promoters' decision is final and binding in all matters and no correspondence will be entered into. The winners' details (name and county) will be made available on The Irish Times website. The winner may be required to participate in unpaid publicity arising from this promotion. The Promoter will only process your personal information as set out in and as set out in these terms and conditions. Prizes are non transferrable and cannot be exchanged for cash. These terms and conditions shall be governed by Irish law and the Courts of the Republic of Ireland shall have exclusive jurisdiction. Promoter and Data Controller: The Irish Times DAC, The Irish Times Building, P.O. Box 74, 24 - 28 Tara Street, Dublin 2. The Promoter reserves the right to hold void, suspend, cancel or amend the Promotion where it becomes necessary to do so.
