Druid is delighted to announce details of two rehearsed readings which will be performed at Galway Arts Festival this week, Happy Birthday Jacob by Michael Marshall and Be Infants in Evil by Brian Martin.

The Druid Debuts series is an initiative started by Druid in 2001 to support the development of talented emerging writers. These plays have been selected through Druid’s open submissions process, which each year receives 200 scripts from writers across Ireland.

Thomas Conway, Druid Literary Manager said:

‘New plays are the lifeblood of Druid, just as they are the lifeblood of any vital and living theatre culture. We’re delighted to be working with two confident and talented new voices in Irish playwriting, under the direction of two of Ireland’s surest hands with new plays. We hope audiences will be as engaged by these rehearsed readings, read by some of Ireland’s esteemed and most promising stage actors, as we in Druid continue to be.’

Michael Marshall’s play Happy Birthday Jacob, is directed by Dan Colley, Artistic Director of Collapsing Horse Theatre Company, who is working with Druid for the first time. The cast features Siobhan Cullen, Janet Moran, James Murphy and Joe Power.

Happy Birthday Jacob sees 17-year-old Jacob Dooley impersonate his parents for his 10-year-old brother, Lucas, after Mum leaves and Dad absents himself for months on end. And no one suspects, least of all the school authorities. Only Jacob’s girlfriend, Terry, is in on the act. They are doing just fine, until Mum returns. Jacob is suspicious, but then Mum gives him the birthday present he’s always wanted.

Michael Marshall is from Ennis, Co. Clare and is studying Performing Arts at the Institute of Technology, Sligo.

Be Infants in Evil by Brian Martin is directed by Conall Morrison, also working with Druid for the first time. The cast features Peter Hanly, Janet Moran, James Murphy and Bríd Ní Neachtain.

Fr. Patrick is newly posted to a parish in Dublin and, this afternoon, finds himself in his new church hearing confessions he is in no mind to hear (and, in any case, distrusts for their insincerity). From blind, elderly Noleen who for all her guilelessness, knows more than she lets on to know. From unmarried mother Jacinta, who is anything but repentant for certain misdemeanours in the eyes of the church. And from Henry, a 12-year-old boy who has somehow made it alone from the other side of the city to be with his old friend.

Brian Martin is a Dublin native now resident in London. He is a graduate from TCD where he studied playwriting with Marina Carr and has been a participant in the Royal Court’s Young Writers’ Programme where Be Infants in Evil was developed.

The plays will be performed as rehearsed readings at Druid Lane Theatre.

The Druid Debuts series is part of Galway Arts Festival’s First Thought strand

Druid would like to acknowledge the continued support of the Arts Council.

Happy Birthday Jacob
By Michael Marshall
Directed by Dan Colley

Cast
Terry – Siobhan Cullen
Mary – Janet Moran
Jacob – James Murphy
Lucas – Joe Power

Druid Lane Theatre 

Tuesday July 23rd at 2pm
Tickets: €7

Be Infants in Evil
By Brian Martin
Directed by Conall Morrison

Cast
Patrick – Peter Hanly
Jacinta – Janet Moran
Henry – James Murphy
Noleen – Bríd Ní Neachtain

Contains strong language and makes reference to scenes of a sexual nature. Suitable for age 16+

Druid Lane Theatre
 Friday July 26th at 2pm
Tickets: €7

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