THE inaugural London Irish Short Play Festival gave six Irish writers the opportunity to showcase their work in the capital earlier this month.
The festival is the creation of Sharon Sexton and Cillian O'Donnachadh, co-founders of production company Biscuits for Breakfast.
While immersed in the London Irish theatre scene, Sexton and O'Donnachadh realised there was a lack of facilities and platforms for writers and directors to collaborate and showcase their work.
In April this year, they approached London Irish Centre Arts Director Gary Dunne about their idea and were offered the centre as a base.
"Having the support of the Irish Centre has made this whole thing possible," Ms Sexton said.
"When artists and writers come to London they are hungry to work and network, and most importantly create.
"You have to be inventive and find ways of getting yourself and your work out there in London," she added.
But finding spare change for rehearsal spaces, venue fees and marketing plans, in one of the most expensive cities in the world is not an easy feat.
"Biscuits For Breakfast wanted to offer writers and performers an opportunity to make work, without the stress of the overheads and admin of producing a show."
We were offered a similar opportunity at a festival in Dublin many years ago and we created a 10 minute piece which developed into a two-act play and has now toured internationally," Ms Sexton said.
"We wanted to pass the mantle on and give others the same opportunity."
The proceeds of this year's festival went towards the London Irish Centre charity, with plans already in place for a second festival in the spring.
Ranging from first and second generation Irish, long timers and new arrivals, we meet the six writers from the inaugural London Irish Short Play Festival...
Dear Michael by Brenda Keneghan
Dear Michael is a short play based on a series of letters from rural Ireland in the 1990s to a young man who has moved to London rather suddenly.
The letters - which come from his mother, his girlfriend, his younger sister and old school friend - contrast his new life with the life he left behind.
Brenda Keneghan came to London for 'a year' 30 years ago this month.
She has written for many national newspapers and has previoulsy presented work at Soho Theatre.
She saw an advertisement, seeking new plays for the festival and dusted off her story.
She submitted it to Biscuits For Breakfast, wondering if it could be adapted to become a short play.
The story consists of letters from Michael’s relatives and friends back in Ireland.
The company felt these letters might be an effective way of linking all of the evening’s pieces together so Brenda set about adapting them.
The Gold Of Boggerah by Pete Brassett
The Gold of Boggerah is an uplifting comedy about one man's quest to secure a future for his family.
Facing financial ruin and with the odds stacked against them, a disjointed farming family in rural Ireland have little to look forward to.
Close to admitting defeat it is only their stubborn grandfather's belief in a centuries old fable that might just keep them going...or drive them mad first.
Pete Brassett is second generation Irish and is an established writer of fiction.
He has always been creative, designing everything from furniture and packaging to record covers and cosmetics.
About 15 years ago he took the plunge of committing seriously to writing fiction and is best known for writing novels.
He is the author of several books including the best-selling Kiss The Girls and Prayer for the Dying.
He has also written The Girl From Kilkenny, The Wider Side of Chaos and Yellowman.
He usually writes crime novels and so this particular play, which is described as an upbeat celebration of Irish culture, has been a new, exciting departure for him.
The Parting Glass by Martin McNamara
On the day of their Irish father's funeral, a pair of London brothers make a nostalgic visit to the pub where he spent much of his days.
But a parting glass to his memory becomes something much darker and more malevolent as the truth about their father's drinking and violence emerges.
Martin McNamara's work is well-known around London, having recently staged plays with Green Curtain Theatre Company’s Shadow and The Shelter Festival.
His first full length play, The Magic Hour, was produced at the Brockley Jack in 2013.
Other work has been performed at Soho Theatre, 503 Theatre, Theatre N16, Bread and Roses and COG ArtsSpace.
His background is freelance journalism.
He's written for national newspapers, magazines and was also a TV news producer.
He was a member of 2014's Royal Court writers group & won the BBC Northern Ireland/Tony Doyle writers bursary.
His script, KRIM, was a finalist in BBC Scriptroom 5, from more than 1,300 entries.
His feature script, The Shy Russian, is currently under option with Future Films USA.
Plain Speak by Dorothy Cotter
It's Saturday night in Soho. Siobhan and Danny are on an awkward first date.
With their mischievous, inner voices hovering and hollering beside them, it's hard to think straight.
Awkward turns to tense, tense becomes outrage and common decency makes a run for the door.
Think 50 First Dates, meets Peep Show with a nod to Brain Friel.
Dorothy Cotter is originally from Cork, and has been involved in script development on many new plays and workshopped sketches for RTÉ’s The Savage Eye.
She is currently co-writing a sitcom, however Plain Speak is her debut as a solo writer.
Dorothy studied acting at the Dublin Gaiety School and worked in Irish theatre and television for 15 years before relocating to London just over a year ago.
Theatre highlights include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (National Concert Hall) and Dear Frankie (Gaiety Theatre) Bel’s Boys (ITV), a regular on the comedy series The Savage Eye (RTE) and nominated Best Actress at the Feel Good Film Festival in Hollywood for the short film Henry & Sunny.
Home is Calling by Siubhan McNally
A middle aged lesbian couple from Belfast face a crisis.
Máiread doesn't want to grow old in London and has been offered a job back home.
Emer doesn't want to move. Can their relationship survive this?
Will they forever be caught between two cultures not belonging anywhere?
What, or where is home anyway?
Siubhan McNally grew up in Belfast and came to London in 1983.
She has always enjoyed being involved in theatre and performing.
She has devised, written and acted in Fringe shows and has performed poetry and storytelling in places as diverse as Camden community Festival and Oxford University.
Siubhan’s play tells the story of a couple who have moved away from Ireland and are trying to decide whether or not it is time to go home, which is a question that everyone abroad grapples with now and again.
Recession of 1884 by Brendan Kenny
A light-hearted recall of events in Thurles in 1884 that culminated in the setting up of the GAA.
All the characters names are factual, the setting and original name for the Association are factual and many of the contemporary events mentioned during the play are real.
But this a Blackadder-esque view of that great event in Irish history.
Brendan Kenny, a Tipperary man, has been living in the London area since July 2013.
He teaches computing and maths in a boys’ prep school in Northwood.
He had his first experience of amateur drama back in May this year when he was a cast member in the Rickmansworth Players production of One Man, Two Guvnors.
Brendan originally wrote this short play for Scór Sinsear in 2009, as part of the 125-year anniversary of the GAA.
He has also been in front of cameras on a few occasions.
He failed to get a single question right on three different episodes of Fifteen to One in 2014, and featured in a Stella Artois Christmas ad that same year.
He also plays hurling with St Declan’s GAA, based in Watford.
