●     The play powerfully explores a modern day taboo, male victims of domestic abuse. Is this a difficult subject to bring to the stage?

A: It was in a few ways Heather. I wanted to avoid being graphic with violence and abuse. I wanted to tell both sides of a story, to present a context of why abuse happens, I wanted to break the mould of a typical direct address one person show and reinvent it in some way and in terms of the solitude and silence that victims feel, I wanted the character to say as little as possible. In the end I got it down to only three words spoken live by the actor in 62 minutes.

●     What was your starting point for writing the play?

A: There was a huge number of suicides that were happening in Ireland around 2018 and when I dug deeper into certain cases I found that men had taken their own lives because of horrendous domestic situations they were in, and rather than speak to someone they obviously felt like they couldn’t and chose to end their lives. Toxic attitudes in regard to expression of emotion are a huge reason for this.

●     Please could you tell us a little bit about the story.

A: It’s a love story. We meet Mick and Trish and we witness this love story being born and we then navigate our way through the entirety of the relationship, discover the complexities that push people to self-destruct and pull others into their carnage. Relationship breakdowns are tragic especially when we see a great depth of love that once existed. Within all this, we spend time with Mick as he tries to rewrite the carnage. It’s very unique in its staging and style.

●     What was the hardest thing about writing the play?

A: There were two things Heather, the first was the tragedy I read about in much of the research I did, real lives, real people and real tragic outcomes. The second was the theatrical side of it, in the way of trying to push myself out of my comfort zone to create something very interesting and innovative. But ultimately, getting the detail and tone right for the piece.

●     Could you tell us a little about your background in theatre and how this has fed into this play.

A: Ah, I would have to say Paris Paris Paris. And when I say that I mean Ecole Jacques Lecoq! I originally trained as an actor in drama school. I then went on to study at Lecoq and it completely changed my perception of everything in terms of life, nature and theatre. I started to write a lot more and devise after I returned to Ireland. It was this discipline that forced me to take huge risks with work and break boundaries.

●     You’re transferring it to The Hope Theatre in Islington. How did that come about?

A: Well, pre-covid we wanted to bring the show over but of course everything went askew. So when we were ready to move again, we looked for the right venue for us. Intimate, black box space and an appreciative and supportive team. We got all this at The Hope. Phil and the gang have set us up really well and we’re very excited to land over. WE LOVE LONDON!

●     Will it be the same director and cast for the performances at The Hope Theatre?

A: Well I wrote and directed the piece myself and in terms of the cast, I’m in it… and I don’t want to give too much away, but in this one man show another cast member will “emerge”.....! It’s a nice little surprise.

●     What do you hope will come from showing the play in London?

A: I suppose I want people to become a lot more aware of the subject matter and that somebody they know may be in this situation, or that someone who has experienced it won’t feel so alone or feel like they're crazy anymore.

●     Finally, what is your favourite scene and why?

A: ooooh….Mick and Trish’s first kiss! It’s awkward, beautiful but also filthy! You have to come along to see why!!