Rough, an original play written and directed by Grace Dyas, serves as a meditation on adolescent alienation. Two teenage girls (Roxanna Nic Liam and Aoibhin Garrihy) recount tales of meaningless sex, binge drinking, self-loathing and "sitting at home, reading your Sarah Kane". The play simultaneously acknowledges the futility of the girls' behaviour while capturing the compulsion for them to continue the cycle of self-destruction. I especially like the murky script's subversion of Doireann Coady's girly-girl stage design that featured evening-wear dresses, mirror frames and lingerie.
Dyas is also director of Group Therapy for One. A drastically different experience to Rough, this production involves audience members convening at O' Connell Bridge before catching a bus to protagonist Shane Byrne's Harold's Cross home. Seated in Shane's 'first kitchen', we are privvy to his one-man group therapy session as he tries to identify the reasons behind his inability to work to deadlines or his fears of finding himself forced to make small talk. Shane's sharp humour and some clever devices help prevent the piece from lapsing into trite self-indulgence, and the ending, well, it's just lovely.Last yeat I somehow managed to catch every dud show in the Fringe but it seems I made better choices. Group Therapy for One wound up having to extend its run, due to the overwhelming demand for tickets (and presumably a lack of objections from Shane's family in relation to surrendering their 'first kitchen' for another evening). Meanwhile, 'Rough' scooped the third annual Fishamble New Writing Award, meaning writer Dyas will receive a €1,000 bursary towards her next script.
As I mentioned before, Dyas will be directing 'Market Research This', a script by fellow hot prospect Shaun Dunne early next year. Keep yizzer eyes peeled for more details.
[Images: Sarah Cramer]
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