“PAISLEY/McGUINNESS” SCREENWRITER RETURNS WITH TAUGHT NEW PYSCHOLOGICAL THRILLER BAG FOR LIFE.
An exciting new play from Colin Bateman is on tour through April and May 2017 taking in over 11 different venues and comes to An Grianán on Wed 10 May (Book now) .
‘Bag for Life’ is the second play from renowned Northern Irish writer Colin Bateman. In Colin’s career he has written 36 novels as well as writing TV show Murphy’s Law and BBC NI’s Scup. He has also recently garnered great acclaim for his screenplay ‘The Journey’ which explored the political relationship between Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness.
His second stage play asks the question, can forgiveness overcome the want for revenge in 21st century Northern Ireland? It’s a tense, gripping thriller as well as a study of modern psychosis, all shot through with Bateman’s trademark pitch black humour.
“There is a lot of different aspects to it,” explains Bateman, “it is quite a dark piece but it’s also very funny. It’s a thriller but it will also make you think. You’ll come out asking questions about how you would deal in certain situations.”
The show tells the tale of Karen, a young bored mother, who is out shopping one Saturday when she turns and runs slap bang into a figure from her past. Initially unable to place the person it is with horror that it dawns on her that this happy family man is none other than the ex-paramilitary who 22 years earlier murdered her brother. Thus begins a cycle of revenge, psychosis and obsession.
Actress Julie Addy delivers a real tour de force performance as Karen. The characters thoughts, whims and delusions brought to sparkling life by an intricate series of video displays perfectly capturing her frantic fractured mindset.
“I think it’s a very exciting play,” explains director / producer Kieran Griffiths, “there is a tempo and pace to it… of course though the audience are given time to breathe and ask themselves questions… but it’s a ferocious episode in Karen’s life. Electric. Exciting. Captivating. And I think from its initial outing a lot of people are still talking about it and asking themselves questions.”
Commissioned as a legacy project for Derry Londonderry’s 2013 UK City of Culture, this powerful and captivating play received a hugely successful premiere at The Playhouse in April 2016 before going on to a sellout run at The Open House festival in Bangor and standing ovations at The Lyric Theatre Belfast.
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID:
“One of the strongest pieces of theatre ever produced in Derry…. believable, near the knuckle in places, entertaining and disturbing…”
– Derry Journal
“A raw, powerful and no-holds-barred journey through the deepest, darkest emotions we have all…Bag for Life will stir the darkest recesses of the Northern Irish soul”
– The Irish News
“Addy delivers a tour-de-force in her eighty minute monologue”
– Culture NI
“Intense, realistic and filled with mountains of black humour”
– PastieBap.com
“One of the most visually arresting plays of the year”
– alaninbelfast.blogspot.co.uk
