Fresh from its highly successful New York run, the internationally acclaimed and multi-award winning marriage equality play, The Morning After The Life Before, is making its Dublin premiere at Bewleys Café Theatre. The play tells the true story of Ann Blake’s experience coming out later in life and getting engaged in a country she could not get married in.
The play takes place on the groggy Sunday morning of May 24 2015, just after Ireland has made history by voting 62% in favour of marriage equality. Hungover, Ann gets a text from her brother asking “How’s the morning after the life before?” and the reality of a new Ireland begins to settle in.
As we approach the fourth anniversary of the Marriage Equality Referendum this year, The Morning After the Life Before is a timely heartfelt and humorous reminder of both the time before and the times that followed. Ann Blake, the playwright and a performer in The Morning After The Life Before, is a founding member of Choke Comedy Improv and has the impressive ability to integrate humour into an incredibly emotional story.
Her co-performer, Lucia Smyth, takes on the role of ‘cast of thousands’ including both of Blake’s parents, various bureaucrats and Blake’s partner, Jenny. Smyth is trained in circus, clowning and contact dance improvisation, allowing her to bring a unique physicality to her performance.
The show has picked up an impressive five nominations and two awards so far, including Best Actress (Lucia Smyth) and Best Director (Paul Meade) at Origin’s 1st Irish Festival. It has been described as “A perfectly rendered, heart-warming, necessary light in the darkest of moments which will bring even the most conservative to their feet.”
The play is presented by Gúna Nua, a theatre production company with a history of showcasing some of Ireland’s newest and most exciting works, including Skin Deep, Pondling and Little Gem.
Prior to its Dublin premiere from February 25 – March 16, The Morning After The Life Before will be performed at the Limerick Literary Festival in Dolans Warehouse on February 23.
Tickets for the show can be found on the Bewleys Cafe Theatre website.
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