After our Earagail Arts Festival show Fiesta our next inhouse production will be the Pat McCabe drama Frank Pig Says Hello. Adapted from Pat McCabe’s novel The Butcher Boy, Frank Pig Says Hello tells the story of a young boy’s breakdown in a rural Irish town.
Pat McCabe is one of Ireland’s most daringly original writers. Frank Pig Says Hello is his stage version of his highly acclaimed novel The Butcher Boy which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Set in 1960s rural Ireland, it is a poignant and provocative journey into the heart and mind of Francie Brady, a young man driven beyond the boundaries of his mental and emotional health. Over 30 characters are played by two versatile actors, Patrick McBrearty and Stefan Dunbar, in a powerfully evocative and rewarding theatre experience. Directed by David Grant.
Local actor Patrick McBrearty will be familiar to An Grianán regulars as he has performed many times here including a memorable turn as Puck in our 2008 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Patrick recently graduated from the prestigious Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London and is now based in Belfast. In 2013 whilst in his final year of training, he was cast in a feature film called Still Waters starring John Hannah. He has also written and performed his one-man show The Just Jack Depression. Frank Pig Says Hello sees him reunite with director David Grant who directed our productions of The O’Neill and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Joining him in the production is fellow Central School of Speech and Drama graduate Stefan Dunbar. Stefan began acting at the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen in productions such as Dancing at Lughnasa, Beauty Queen of Leenane and The Playboy of the Western World. After performing as the lead in The Pajama Game (a cross-community production), Stefan was offered a scholarship to attend Walnuthill School for the Arts in Boston USA.
Frank Pig Says Hello will embark on a tour of twelve venues this September and October. You can see it in An Grianán on Sat 20 Sept and Sat 4 October. There will also be a schools matinee on Mon 22 September.
