'Swift and Vanessa' Play

Venue : Tea Lane, Church Street Celbridge

Dates: Two showings - June 4th 8-9pm and Monday June 5th 2-3pm

Second showing Monday 5th at 2pm - book your ticket here on Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/swift-and-vanessa-tickets-624302765377

(First showing on Sunday 4th) - Sold out!

It is 1710 in London and the wittiest, most celebrated man in the city is about to meet the ‘out-of-her-time’ Esther Vanhomrigh. In the words of Swift – A woman with opinions. Imagine!

It is a meeting neither of them will forget and a play you won’t.

Written by best-selling Kildare novelist, Martina Murphy/Reilly, Swift and Vanessa tells the story of the relationship between Jonathan Swift and Esther VanHomrigh. By turns tragic and humorous, we follow Esther’s pursuit of Swift and discover what happens when she becomes aware of a rival Esther – Esther Johnson – that Swift has kept hidden away in Dublin.

Buckle up for a journey back in time that is as relevant today as it was then.

“A remarkable production…’ Liffey Champion.

Tickets for this wonderful event are available via Eventbrite. 10 euro or donation for low/unwaged.

Actors

Pete Butler - 'Fate 1'

Pete Butler has been involved in amateur drama for the last 30 years. He started off with the Insight Theatre, Celbridge and in that time has both acted with and directed the group. His most recent work with Insight was ‘The Risen People’.

Pete has worked with An Nuadha Players Maynooth for their annual Pantos. In 2016, Pete got involved with Down at Heels Productions. He has performed in all their productions, most recently in the podcast – ‘FRACTURED – A family, A nation, A dream’.

Currently Pete is involved with the Explore Youth Theatre, Leixlip as a Facilitator.

Noel Wade - 'Swift'

Noel began his involvement with theatre in the early 1980s in Thurles. Following a long break, he joined Insight Theatre Group in Celbridge and last appeared there in ‘The Hebrew Lesson ‘in 2018. Other appearances with Insight include ‘Mid-Summer Night’s Dream’ and ‘Tuesdays with Maury’.

Noel has done some Radio Drama with RTE for ‘The Road to the Rising’ in 2015 and 2016. He has also appeared in several An Nuadha productions in Maynooth including ‘Twisted’ in 2019 . His last stage work was with Red Embers Theatre Group in Castletown House in 2019 in ‘The Seafarer’.

Noel played Father Dempsey in Down at Heel’s podcast FRACTURED – a family, a nation, a dream. He is delighted to be working with Down at Heel productions again.

Clare Joyce - 'Fate 2'

Claire Joyce is delighted to return to ‘Swift and Vanessa’ having been part of the original group that performed the play in 2018. A drama teacher, living in Newbridge, Claire has been involved in amateur drama for many years and has worked with groups from all over Dublin and Kildare.

She has most recently been involved with the podcast ‘FRACTURED – a family, a nation, a dream’ as a scriptwriter and voice over artist.

Meadhbh Moore - 'Vanessa'

Meadhbh is excited to be returning to perform with Down at Heel Productions, having enjoyed being involved with the dynamic podcast series Fractured as the voice of Lizzy O Neill.

From a young age, Meadhbh has been involved with theatre and performance in its many forms, including specialising in Performance Art in her BA in Fine Art. Some of her favourite past performances include Abigail in The Crucible, interchanging roles in Alone It Stands, and the Evil Queen in Snow White.

Meadhbh has represented both An Nuadha Players and Insight Theatre Group on the amateur drama circuit, and has won Best Actress Awards in Ballina and Celbridge festivals for her performances in Breathing Lessons and Positive Dead People respectively. She is an experienced dancer of Ballet, Contemporary and Hip Hop.

In recent years Meadhbh has choreographed pantomime and musical productions for An Nuadha Players, along with choreographing and directing the school musicals for Coláiste de hÍde, Tallaght, where Meadhbh enjoys working as an art teacher.

Martina Murphy/Reilly - Writer and Director

Martina Murphy is the author of 22 novels. The 23rd ‘The Reckoning’ will be published in August 2023. It is the third novel featuring DS Lucy Golden, a crime series set on Achill Island. She has been the recipient of a number of book awards.

Martina has written a number of plays for stage and her play ‘The InBetween’ was read as part of the DunLaoghiare Play Platform.

She was one of the producers and writers on the FRACTURED podcast – a limited series podcast telling the story of an Irish family during the Irish War of Independence.

She is delighted to be once again directing ‘Swift and Vanessa’ for Down at Heel Productions.