As part of Liverpool’s Irish Festival, Almanac Arts presents the world premiere of Liverpool’s Lizzie Nunnery’s new play with songs, “To Have To Shoot Irishman”. She is an acclaimed playwright and singer-songwriter, having initially burst to prominence with 2007’s “Intemperance”and last years “Narvik” (Best New Play, UK Theatre Awards) plus a whole heap of TV and theatre commissions.
“To Have To Shoot Irishman” is inspired by the murder of Irish pacifist Francis Sheehy Skeffington by a British soldier during the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916. The play “explores fractured national identity and the chaotic legacy of British military intervention”. It also examines the shattering effect of those events on his wife and feminist activist Hanna, on William the teenage soldier who guarded Frank, and on Vane the rebellious commander who bears the news of Frank’s death to Hanna.
The production attempts to merge fictionalised scenes with historical document, and traditional songs with original music and movement, in order to create a fluid and compelling theatrical event that scrutinise’s history to ask important questions that are pertinent today.
Nunnery herself calls “To Have To Shoot Irishman” a ten year plus “labour of love”, and this exciting production, directed by Gemma Kerr (“Hitting Town”, Southwark Playhouse) has a cast of four – Gerard Kearns (“Shameless”), Elinor Lawless (“The End Of Hope” Soho Theatre), Robbie O’Neill (“Little Boy Blue” ITV), and Russell Richardson (“A View From The Bridge” Bolton Octagon).
“To Have To Shoot Irishman”
Thursday 25 – Saturday 27th October at 7.30pm- Liverpool Everyman Theatre As part of Liverpool Irish Festival Tickets £10-£20 Box Office: Tel 0151 709 4776 / www.everymanplayhouse.com
Tuesday 6 November at 8pm – The Arts Centre at Edge Hill University, Ormskirk Tickets £10, £8 concessions, free for Edge Hill University students Box Office: 01695 584480 / www.edgehill.ac.uk/artscentre
Steve Kinrade
