A new play, from accomplished Cork playwright Katie Holly, has been commissioned by Cork County Council’s Arts office in association with the library service as part of the Bealtaine festival. The play, titled Crossword, will commence a tour of library branches across the county during late May with free admission for all.
Welcoming the initiative, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Patrick Gerard Murphy said, “The Bealtaine Festival is about celebrating the arts and creativity as we age and by commissioning this play Cork County Council hopes to stage a piece of drama that touches on some of the issues encountered by people as they age, delivered in a humorous and sensitive way and to take that play on tour, during Bealtaine, to a variety of libraries in the County, facilitating accessibility for all.”
Crossword looks at the lives and motivations of two characters, Brian and Harry, through a series of interactions in their local Library. Harry, an older man, recently retired, seeking to keep himself active and informed and Brian a young arts graduate looking for a job and trying to decide a career path for him-self. Crossword is about finding the language to say how you are feeling – and then finding someone to whom you can say it.
Katie Holly, a graduate of Drama and Theatre Studies from University College Cork has in recent years established herself as one of Ireland’s most interesting new playwrights. She has received bursaries from Cork County Council in 2016 and 2018 to support her writing. Crossword is her first play commission.
Katie’s first play Marion premiered at Cork Midsummer Festival 2016 and her second, Sharon, featured at Cork Midsummer Festival in 2017 and was immediately invited to West Cork Fit Up Festival where Graham Norton attended and tweeted about the show giving a massive boost to cast and crew. It was broadcast as a radio play on RTE Radio 1. Crowman, her third professional play, is currently touring nationally starring Jon Kenny.
Mallow’s own, well-known actor and drama teacher, Danny Buckley performs the part of ‘Harry’ in Crossword while award-winning comedy writer and performer Tadhg Hickey plays Brian.
Cork County Council gratefully acknowledges the support of the Arts Council for this project.
Admission to Crossword is free and the tour runs from Tues 21st May to Tuesday 28th May at Clonakilty, Skibbereen, Macroom, Carrigaline, Bantry Dunmanway,Mallow, Charleville, Midleton and Fermoy. Check with your local library for further details or see www.corkcoco.ie
Left to right: Danny Buckley as Harry and Tadhg Hickey plays Brian in Katie Holly’s new play Crossword commissioned by Cork county Council Arts Offic
