Latest Malaprop drama ‘Hothouse' coming to Wicklow stage
Following the off-Broadway debut in 2024, where Hothouse was selected as a New York Times critic's pick, the show tours to 10 venues nationwide, taking in Wicklow's Mermaid Arts Centre on Friday May 30 and Saturday May 31.
The production brings us on an odyssey that sails through an intergenerational tale complete with horny songbirds, a mad captain, and wanting to change, but not knowing how. Set on a cruise liner in the Arctic, where the ship's captain is pulling the strings, the play is performed by a cast of five. Together with its clever score, the play looks at the last 100 years in Ireland, and ahead to the next hundred, tackling climate breakdown with big ideas, a lot of laughs, and some truly grotesque cabaret musical numbers.
The play sees Ruth (in 1969) who refuses to eat sandwiches with lettuce in them. Ali in the present day goes on a cruise to say goodbye to the ice. Meanwhile, a parent 100 years in the future tells their child it gets better, even though we're pretty sure they're lying.
Hothouse is directed by Claire O'Reilly (Emma, The Abbey Theatre) and written by Carys D Coburn (Absent the Wrong, Verity Bargate Award Winner, Irish Times Theatre Award nominee for Citysong). The cast includes Bláithín MacGabhann (Dancing at Lughnasa at National Theatre London), Maeve O'Mahony (Abbey Theatre), Thommas Kane Byrne (Darklands, Kin, Derry Girls, Deadly Cuts) and Peter Corboy (Fair City).
Hothouse runs at the Mermaid Arts Centre on Friday May 30 and Saturday May 31. Tickets €20 from mermaidartscentre.ie
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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Our nightmare neighbour made our lives a living hell with death threats, dog poo on doorstep and creepy text messages
LOOKING at the texts on her boyfriend's phone, Emma Williams felt sick to her stomach. 'You have really nice eyes – but don't tell your girlfriend I said that,' said one. 6 Ben Stanley and Emma William were subjected to two years of abuse when council tenant Drina Gray moved into the flat below them Credit: Stewart Williams 6 Drina Gray, who has now been jailed for 40 months, made the couple's life a 'living hell' Credit: SWNS 6 Drina would issue death threats through our Ring doorbell camera Credit: SWNS 'Why don't you take me on holiday?' read another. But Emma's deep unease wasn't because she thought Ben Stanley, 32, was cheating. It was the fact that the messages were from 'It was a living hell,' says Emma, 31. 'She would issue Emma became so frightened that she kept a baseball bat next to the front door. 'I was afraid to be home alone if she was there,' she says. 'I would change plans or ask Ben to come home before I went out. We were trapped. 'She would sit on the stairs and hurl abuse at me, not letting me pass. 'We couldn't hear our TV as she would have her music on full volume. It was always the same songs – Someone Like You by Adele, or Bruno Mars. 'I couldn't even read a book or work from home, because you would hear her screaming things and the dog barking. I came home to find my nightmare neighbour knocking down my DOOR – he claimed it was his right to do it 'It was no way to live.' Ben, a cybersecurity product manager, had been excited to get on the property ladder when he bought the one-bedroom leasehold flat in Wandsworth, south west London, in August 2022 for £340,000. But his first home went from haven to hellhole when Gray, a council tenant, moved into the flat below in April 2023. 'I got a bad feeling from day one when I went to introduce myself and heard her shout at her father: 'Tell him to f*** off',' Ben recalls. 'The postman also told me she had a reputation in Tooting, where she had moved from. But I tried to be cordial as she lived downstairs. 'We were the only two flats at the end of a row of three-bedroom houses and had a shared stairwell along with small adjoining gardens.' She would issue death threats through our Ring doorbell camera and let her dog dirty on the doorstep. She even broke the doorbell twice. Emma From day one, Gray would make noise at all hours of the day. Ben then realised she was running a dog-sitting business from her flat, meaning four or five animals could be barking at a time. 'After I complained about the disruption, she suggested we swap numbers and I could text her if it was too loud,' he says. 'But that was a mistake, because then she was able to harass me by phone, too. 'It wasn't just me who was unhappy – around eight other neighbours were reporting Drina, but they did not share a front door, so could avoid her.' Relations took a nose dive after Emma – who met Ben in June 2023 – moved into the property the following February. 'I had spent a long time looking for someone special and I was so excited to live with Ben,' says Emma, who works in marketing. 'It was going to be our first home together and we want to have a family. I was aware that Drina caused trouble from when I'd stayed over, but figured we could get through it together. 'But Drina took a dislike to me right away, as Ben was the only one in the street who had given her the time of day. I think she thought I was a threat. 'Drina would always make a point of calling me the wrong name. She was so manipulative. 'I use the word obsession, because it was that level.' 6 Finally, in June this year, Emma and Ben saw Gray jailed for 40 months at Kingston Crown Court Credit: SWNS 6 Drina also let her dog defecate on the couple's doorstep Credit: SWNS 'I became depressed and even had suicidal thoughts, needing to go onto medication for my anxiety,' he says. 'It was also impossible to interview online for new roles when she was yelling and making a racket downstairs.' The couple made repeated complaints to Wandsworth Council, who were not just responsible for noise enforcement locally, but also the owners of the building's freehold and Gray's landlord. 'It was hard to get anyone to take action,' says Ben. 'Emails would go unanswered and people would fail to turn up to meetings. 'It felt like no one wanted to know. I even went to our local MP, Rosena Allin-Khan, who put pressure on the council and police to respond to my complaints. 'I was told to keep a log of incidents and ended up recording 220 in total. 'After Drina stole some of our parcels, I put up internal cameras that could be used as CCTV for the hallway. REPEATED COMPLAINTS 'The council weren't sure it was allowed, but it didn't stop us, given the circumstances. 'That's when things got really nasty, as I saw her kicking one of her pets and reported it to the RSPCA. 'They told me they had written to her with a warning but by doing so, it alerted Drina to the fact I'd been filming her and she began making death threats. 'She would shout at us through the floor, or from the garden towards our bedroom window. 'She also made them via our Ring doorbell. These were caught on camera and later used as evidence.' In May 2024, Gray was arrested and charged with criminal damage for breaking Ben and Emma's doorbell, but the police bailed her back to the flat beneath her victims. I became depressed and even had suicidal thoughts, needing to go onto medication for my anxiety. Ben Over the next year, as they waited for the case to go to court, Gray broke her bail conditions five times by shouting at the couple from the garden and via the Ring doorbell, despite being ordered not to contact them, and was arrested repeatedly. 'It was tempting to move out,' says Emma. 'But we didn't want to be hounded from our home and we knew it would be impossible to sell the flat anyway. 'The dispute would need to be declared, and that would affect the price, should anyone risk buying it. We felt quite trapped.' Finally, in June this year, Emma and Ben saw Gray jailed for 40 months at Kingston Crown Court, with Judge Lodder KC telling her she'd made the couple's lives hell. 6 Now the couple are enjoying their flat in the way they had always dreamed of Credit: Supplied She admitted four charges of harassment, criminal damage and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with the intent of causing harassment, alarm or distress. She also failed to comply with a Community Protection Notice and the court heard that she had 18 previous convictions relating to 40 offences. 'You persistently harassed them morning, noon and night,' said the judge. 'Despite orders being obtained to seek to prevent you from behaving in the way you did, you continued in your campaign.' CAMPAIGN OF TERROR Ben admits the verdict is bittersweet as they still have to deal with the fallout from her campaign of terror. 'It has taken so long to get here, but now we are here, it has all been worth it,' he says. 'It was a really insane time. It took an awful lot of resilience and courage to keep going. 'What people don't really understand is the psychological and emotional impact it has on you. 'For me, that's far worse than anything physical. 'I told the police I would rather she punched or stabbed me, so they would arrest her. 'The case also got adjourned six times and you start to lose hope in the courts and the police. 'But we carried on and she has got the sentence she deserves. 'I don't know if time in jail will change her. But if it discourages her from doing it again, that's a win.' DEALING WITH NIGHTMARE NEIGHBOURS YOU have a right to peaceful enjoyment of your home, so if you're facing ongoing nuisance from a neighbour, Daniel McAfee, head of legal operations at Lawhive, reveals what to do. Right to Quiet Enjoyment : "One of the most fundamental rights is the right to quiet enjoyment of your property," explains McAfee. "This doesn't mean absolute silence; to be more precise, it means the right to use and enjoy your property without unreasonable interference from the freeholder or, crucially, other tenants. In a situation involving a disruptive neighbour, the freeholder - in this instance the council - typically has an obligation to take reasonable steps to address the nuisance, particularly if it breaches the terms of the neighbour's tenancy agreement." Enforcing Your Lease Terms: "Your lease will contain various agreements that govern both your obligations as a leaseholder and the council's responsibilities," McAfee notes. "This includes clauses relating to good neighbourly conduct." If a council tenant causes nuisance, they likely breach their tenancy. As a leaseholder, you have a right to expect the council, as their landlord, to enforce these agreements via warnings or even seeking to end the lease. While lengthy, your right to hold the council accountable for inaction is clear.' Right to Information and Transparency : "Leaseholders also have rights to information about how the building is managed," states McAfee. "This includes details about service charges, major works, and any actions being taken by the council that might affect your enjoyment of the property or its value. While this doesn't directly solve neighbour disputes, understanding the council's overall approach can be important for resolving wider issues. Generally speaking, the council should be transparent in its dealings with leaseholders." Understanding Your Legal Position: "A common misconception is that because the council is the freeholder, they have unlimited power and leaseholders have few rights," McAfee clarifies. "This simply isn't the case. Your rights as a leaseholder are protected by your lease agreement and various laws, such as the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. The lease is a legally binding contract, and both parties must follow its terms. If the council fails in its obligations, there are legal routes available to leaseholders to compel them to act, though seeking legal advice to navigate these is advisable." What You Can Do Today: "If you're facing antisocial behaviour from neighbours, there are immediate practical steps you should take," McAfee advises. "First, report the behaviour to both the police and the council to create an essential paper trail. "If the problem persists and the council has taken no meaningful action, you can engage the 'community trigger' process; this forces agencies to review their response. For serious cases, you can pursue an antisocial behaviour injunction directly. "If you need to act against the council as freeholder for failing their obligations, options include civil action, the Housing Ombudsman, or a Right to Manage company. "Dealing with these issues can be complex," McAfee concludes. "Seeking early legal advice can be invaluable in understanding your specific rights and the most effective course of action.' Emma adds: 'I think she enjoys pressing people's buttons and then hiding behind alcohol. I think it just became a game for her.' Now the couple are enjoying their flat in the way they had always dreamed of and say that Gray's behaviour has created a strong bond between them and the rest of their Wandsworth Council, which owns Gray's flat, have started eviction proceedings and there is a ten-year restraining order in place, banning her from going within a mile of her victims' address or contacting them directly or indirectly. The council's cabinet member for housing, Aydin Dikerdem, said: 'We accept that we could have acted more swiftly. 'Following this case changes are being made to our anti-social behaviour case management system, to ensure the appropriate actions are taken more promptly and that complainants are kept updated.' For Emma, the relief that their ordeal is over is all too clear. 'Sometimes, we sit in silence and we are like, 'This is so nice – we don't need to call any lawyers or the council or anyone',' she says. 'It has been a challenging start to our relationship, but hopefully it gets better from here. 'I am really proud we have not taken it out on each other and it has made us stronger.'
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
'What a sight to behold': All-night festival in Co Cork pays tribute to Seán Ó Riada
As dawn breaks on an overcast day in July 2011, Ruth Ní Riada is standing in a field in Cúil Aodha. Mist is rising from the river and through the stillness a French horn sounds the emotive opening notes of her grandfather's Mise Éire, an outdoor orchestra swelling to a stirring crescendo on a stage by the banks of the Sullane. 'When Mise Éire was being played it was very cloudy but as soon as they started playing, a small hole appeared in the clouds and the sun shone down on the stage,' recalls Ruth. 'It was just surreal. You'd look back on it and think, did that actually happen or did I imagine it?' Equally ethereal were the sounds of soprano Judith Mok's voice drifting over the Cork Gaeltacht village at 4am, and Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh's commentary as a band of sporting heroes charged, banners unfurled, down the glen and across the riverbank at that first all-night Aeríocht 14 years ago. 'Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, Anthony Lynch, and Briege Corkery coming down the mountain at 6 o'clock in the morning – what a sight to behold,' says Ruth. This week, when she stands in 'Páirc na Laoch' or the 'heroes' field' in Cúil Aodha at the third Féile na Laoch, Ruth will be heading the organising committee, taking over the role from her father, composer and broadcaster Peadar Ó Riada. Held once every seven years, the festival was founded by Peadar in memory of his own father, composer Seán Ó Riada 'and other heroes', with Martin Hayes, Glen Hansard, Phil Coulter, and Christy Moore, Cara O'Sullivan, Michael D Higgins, Charlie Bird, and Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill among the heroes having performed on stage in Cúil Aodha. 'It's a festival to celebrate our cultural heroes,' says Ruth. 'We have seven heroes from each of the different disciplines - poetry, visual arts, storytelling, dance, singing, acting, music, and sport.' Ruth never got to meet her grandfather Seán, leader of groundbreaking traditional group Ceoltóirí Chualann, broadcaster, founder of Cór Cúil Aodha, and composer of Ceol an Aifrinn, commonly known as the Ó Riada Mass, including the music for 'Ag Críost an Síol'. He passed away aged 40 in 1971, and Féile na Laoch, which is celebrated in two parts, marks what would be his 94th birthday on August 1, as well as the date of his death on October 3. Though as a family member she is reticent about lauding Ó Riada's achievements, she acknowledges: 'For us, it's hard to say because we're biased, but he's very much a cultural hero in this country, and only for him you just wouldn't know what way things would be, both musically and in our own identity and heritage. He represents what it is to be Irish. Ruth is named after her grandmother, who died just six years after Ó Riada, having developed cancer. 'All his grandchildren feel like we met him because we've heard so much about him, both publicly and in the family,' she says. 'It's an incredibly proud thing to say that he's our grandfather and the only regret is that we never got to meet him or Ruth. 'His music has changed the face of Irish music. He completely revived Irish traditional music and that was just one small aspect of what he did in his career. He was known internationally, and for what he did in communities – here in Cúil Aodha. The choir is the prime example – the choir is made up of every kind of a person in every kind of a job and they come together in the community for the community. 'To think of what he achieved, and died at the age of 40, is just incredible.' Peadar Ó Riada and his daughter Ruth with members of members of the organising committee of Féile na Laoch in Áras Éamonn Mac Suibhne, Cúil Aodha. Picture: Dan Linehan Seán Ó Riada's premature death saw his teenage son Peadar thrust suddenly into public roles including director of Cór Cúil Aodha. Now 70, Peadar passes over the running of the festival honouring his father to the next generation in more ordered fashion. He retains the role of creative director while the chairperson's job is in the capable hands of Ruth, an army captain who is based at Cork's Collins Barracks and has served in Syria and Lebanon. 'I'm very aware that you're only as good as how you manage to leave things after you, and my father left very suddenly, so I started running since I was 16,' says Peadar. 'I'm on duty since and I wouldn't wish anyone the start that I had. When I took over [the choir] I had to learn how to play on the job. 'I don't want that to happen with Féile na Laoch so I asked Ruth would she take on this year's one - she's good at organising things.' His father's presence is 'always there', he says, and has shaped Féile na Laoch. 'Seán Ó Riada caused people to dream. The whole idea of Féile na Laoch is dream-time to look at heroes, what we admire about people, and to renew ourselves in many different ways – that's why it covers so many aspects, not just the creative but the sporting and the spiritual – and also a chance to reset our own batteries. 'By recognising heroes we are rediscovering who we think is wonderful and what is wonderful about them, so that we can aim for that ourselves.' The heroes on stage at Thursday's all-night Aeraíocht include singers Celine Byrne and Liam Ó Maonlaí, Altan's Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, jazz musician John Donegan, dancers Natasha Bourke, Tobi Omoteso, and Siobhán Ní Dhuinnín, storytellers Cónal Creedon and Pat Speight, and poet Dairena Ní Chinnéide. Glen Hansard and Michael D Higgins at the previous Féile na Laoch in 2018. Picture: Paul Reardon As heroes, 'these people are at the top of their game in their own respective disciplines, but it's more than that,' adds Ruth. 'It's what they represent in their own communities as well – they're not just heroes as musicians or singers or poets. A lot of the people that we've given the honour to are people who have given a lot back to the community as well.' Community involvement is central to the féile, at which both heroes and helpers volunteer, free of charge. 'The main event is the Aeraíocht, an overnight multifaceted concert out in the air, from sunset to sunrise. It's all community-led and voluntary,' says Ruth. 'Every event is free of charge but that means that it's all reliant on our funders and sponsors and on the meitheal of volunteers that come together. We are looking for volunteers and everyone is more than welcome to be part of it, anything from a flag-bearer in the parade to a steward, to helping out with the food.' Volunteer musicians are also being recruited for a 'People's Orchestra' to play Mise Éire as the Féile na Laoch stage is rotated to face the rising sun on Friday morning, Seán Ó Riada's birthday, the stage having been moved by degrees from its starting position facing Thursday's sunset. 'It's not an elitist thing – it's the people's orchestra,' says Peadar, offering transport from Cork city and 'a bloody good breakfast' for orchestral recruits. 'The music is so recognised, it's nearly like the nation's trumpet call. Every time, at any State occasion, they play Mise Éire - it's time to let people know they have access to it.' Féile na Laoch takes place overnight on Thursday, July 31, at 7pm. Tickets are free but booking is advised at: For full details, see Féile na Laoch highlights President Michael D. Higgins sits on stage as musicians play for a previous Féile na Laoch. Picture: John Delea Aeraíocht: Thursday, July 31, 7pm: Fire taken from the hearth at the Ó Riada home, with parade to Cúil Aodha for opening of Féile na Laoch, and to Páirc na Laoch 8.30pm for Aeraíocht. Friday, August 1, 5.50am: Mise Éire played at sunrise; sounding of horns to summon sporting heroes; 6.20am: a horse is brought to the fore to honour the role of the horse in Irish culture. Concert celebrating Seán Ó Riada: Friday, August 1, 8pm: Branches of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann perform in concert presented by Peadar Ó Riada live on Raidió na Gaeltachta and online. Harp and Pipes Forum: Saturday, August 2, 10am: Seminar with Louise Mulcahy, Laoise Kelly, Paul Dooley, and Ailean Dòmhnallach to discuss influences on the evolution of the Irish instruments. The Way of the Arts: Saturday 11am: Opening of trail with works of art, including by Maria Simonds-Gooding and John Behan, displayed in the windows of seven houses in Cúil Aodha. Coirm Órga/Gold Concert: Saturday 8pm: Past winners of the Oireachtas Corn Uí Riada and Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal, presented by Máirtín Tom Sheáinín Mac Donncha, live on RnG and online. Spiritual Day: Sunday, August 3, 11am: Mass with Cór Cúil Aodha; Assembly of choirs from Ireland and Scotland and contemplative exploration of the future of Church and spiritual community in the face of dwindling vocations to the priesthood.
The Journal
2 days ago
- The Journal
'Relieved, elated – and maybe a bit proud': Roddy Doyle on chairing the Booker Prize panel
THE LONGLIST FOR this year's prestigious Man Booker Prize has been released – and chair of the five-person judging panel Roddy Doyle said he's 'loved every minute' of his experience. The Dublin author is the first winner of the prize to chair the panel. Doyle won the prize in 1993 for his novel Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, a novel about a ten-year-old boy living in north Dublin and the events that happen around his age group, school, and home. The 'Booker Dozen' of 13 books feature no Irish authors, but has British, American, Canadian-Ukrainian, Trinidadian, Indian, Hungarian-British, Malaysian, and Albanian-American authors listed. The longlist has been described as containing works that encapsulate 'a vast range of global experiences'. Among the authors on the longlist are one previous winner of the prize, a third-time longlisted author, two authors previously shortlisted, two debut novelists, the first novel from an opera librettist and the twelfth from a former professional basketball player, a book that first gained acclaim as a short story, and one that is the first in a proposed quartet. Doyle described the novels as 'alive with great characters and narrative surprises' which 'examine the past and poke at our shaky present'. Advertisement He is joined on the judging panel by Booker Prize-longlisted author Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀; actress, producer and publisher Sarah Jessica Parker; writer, broadcaster and literary critic Chris Power; and New York Times bestselling and Booker Prize-longlisted author Kiley Reid. Of Doyle's experience chairing the judging panel and narrowing down the submissions to the longlist, he wrote, 'it wasn't easy; at times, it was agony'. 'Seven months, 153 books – the five judges have met and decided on the 13 novels that make up the 2025 Booker longlist.' He said there were so many excellent books among the contenders that saying goodbye to some of them 'felt personal, almost cruel'. 'But I loved every minute of the experience, and being in the company of my fellow judges,' he said. 'There was a small, discreet UN peace-keeping force close at hand, but it wasn't needed. My four colleagues are a generous, funny group but what was clear from the outset was that these are people who love – actually, who need – great books.' He remarked on the list of locations featured amongst the novels. 'There are novels that experiment with form and others that do so less obviously… All, somehow, examine identity, individual or national, and all, I think, are gripping and excellent. 'As I write this, I have the 13 longlisted novels on my desk, in a pile. My phone tells me that one meaning of 'pile' is 'a heap of things'. It's a wonderful heap – I don't think I've seen a better one. At the end of our last, very long meeting, when we'd added the final book to the heap, we all felt relieved, elated – and maybe a bit proud.' The full longlist: Love Forms – Claire Adam The South – Tash Aw Universality – Natasha Brown One Boat – Jonathan Buckley Flashlight – Susan Choi The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny – Kiran Desai Audition – Katie Kitamura The Rest of Our Lives – Ben Markovits The Land in Winter – Andrew Miller Endling – Maria Reva Flesh – David Szalay Seascraper – Benjamin Wood Misinterpretation – Ledia Xhoga Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
