Galway Advertiser 2000/2000_02_03/GA_03022000_E1_037.pdf 

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ENTERTAINMENT The Abbey finding Living Quarters at the Town Hall Theatre
GALWAY'S MOST C O M P R E H E N S I V E ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE - EDITED BY Jeff O C o n n e l
he Abbey are well known for leaving the confines of the Pale and sharing the best of Irish theatre with the rest of the country. Now they are building on the success of last year's Friel Festival by bringing one of the playwright s lesser known works, Uving Quarters, out on tour. I spoke to the play's director Jason Byrne and the Abbey's newly appointed artistic director Ben Barnes about tne production. In deciding which of the festival's audience. He sees him as a kind that helps to create the world of While Jason is beavering away at plays should go out on tour Ben Barnes of "fatalistic conscience". the play. It is obvious that Living Quarters, Ben is getting to grips looked at a number of factors. Living Jason is more inter Jason loves the meth with his new job. His own background Quarters came out on top, not least that ested in the char ods used to work is in direction and so he appreciates most of the original festival cast were acter of the an ensemble what Jason is going through but he is all available and it was the most logisti- comman piece. "It is now looking to the other aspects that dant cally feasible. "But it wasn't a process the best the job entails. He is set to continue the of elimination," assures Barnes "we are tradition of the Abbey fostering new very proud of this production." There is talent in every facet of the theatre. one cast change for the tour however, Already they are planning outreach Cathy Belton is currently caught up in programmes. However, it is the preher work with Glenroe and cannot and post show activities that interest reprise her role as Helen, instead him most. Where, perhaps, they get the Susannah de Wrixton with be taking playwright to get up before a per her place. As a staff director for the formance and give a short introduc Abbey Theatre, Jason was asked to tion, or after the show have a dis place his hand on the helm. The cussion between director and audi fact that Living Quarters hasn't ence about the performance they had a professional outing since have just seen. Ben plans to bring 1977 made it very exciting for this part of the show out on tour Jason to work with the cast to at some point in the near future. make it their own. This is also "While in previous years artistic a new departure for the young directors led from the front director. With his own theatre | directed) I see myself taking company Loose Cannon, he more of an overseers position concentrates mainly on 16th while I look to other parts of the and 17th century playwrights. job." One of the more exciting "This is a very naturalistic aspects is looking at the new piece, I found myself concerned plays and Ben promises us with very natural activity, rather something special in the near different from Shakespearean future with Tom Murphy's new verse." He also regards this very play The House. This will pre much as an ensemble piece. miere in the Abbey sometime in Set in a small town in Donegal in the late 1970s, Living Quarters brings together all the members of the Butler family, in an imaginary reconstruction of events that drove them apart. Pivotal to this gathering is the character "Sir" who acts like a guide to the family. Commandant Frank Butler returns as the Hero of Hari from the Far East. Not only are the family gathered to cel ebrate his return, but all manner of mayhem arises as press and dignitaries descend on the small town to join in on the celebrations. As the events unfold, a complex web of secrets and lies is revealed with tragic consequences. Jason regards the "Sir" character (played by Tony Flynn) as only a device to focus the attention of the April. Should it prove successful then there might well be another foray into the countryside and perhaps further afield. Uving Quarters has already start ed its seven week nationwide tour in work. I A-tterkennj. From there it moves to Theatre Belfast and Derry before coining for one of just two nights to Galway on Friday the few truly February 11, and Saturday February collaborative cre 12. Then it's on to PortlaoLse. ative art forms." He Kilkenny, Coleraine, Limerick, is collaborating again with Armagh, and Longford. the designer Johanna Connor. They previously worked together on To book contact the Town Hall Loose Cannon's production of Theatre box office on (091)569777. Coriolanus. Here she is working on both the set and the costume design. Michele Vutey

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(Clive Geraghty) who is very much the flawed father figure. Jason is very modest when asked what kind of personal stamp he might have put on this play, putting the cast and the play itself forward. "I was n't familiar with the play, but it seemed easier to be truthful and honest to the

play." Ben Barnes is more forthcom ing, commenting on Jason's dedication to the text and his attention to detail