Email: teaspach@gmail.com

Productions

The Women . Galway Girl and Donoghue Sisters . Red Roses and Petrol
Lone Star / Laundry and Bourbon . Below the Waist . The Nun's Wood

IMAGINE THAT YOU MUST CHOOSE ONE SINGLE MEMORY FROM YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND CAPTURE IT WITH A MAGICAL CAMERA - EVERYTHING ELSE WILL BE ERASED FROM YOUR MIND FOREVER..........

IMAGINE THAT CHOOSING THIS MEMORY IS YOUR ONLY WAY OF PASSING THROUGH TO ETERNITY...YOU HAVE JUST ONE HOUR TO DECIDE....

TEASPACH'S FRINGE OFFERING 100 DIRECTED BY CIARDA TOIBIN EXPLORES WHAT HAPPENENED TO FIVE PEOPLE FACED WITH THIS CHOICE!! FRINGE THEATRE DOESN'T GET MORE EXCITING THAN THIS...

Hot on the heels of the sell out stormer that was The Women Teaspach Theatre takes a new direction with 100 for the Limerick UNFRINGED FESTIVAL 2007. The first stage of auditions took place before Christmas through a Physical Theatre Workshop by Brian Desmond from the Be Your Own Banana Theatre Company in Cork (BYOB), hosted by Teaspach. BYOB facilitates performance workshops on aspects of its influences such as clowning, improvisation, Commedia dell'Arte, physical theatre, mask and storytelling which provided the perfect platform for actors to showcase their skills for this play. 100, devised by 'theimaginarybody' theatre company in Britain and written by Diene Petterle, Neil Monaghan and Christopher Heimann through a series of improvisations in the rehearsal room with actors, writers and directors, this play burst onto the 2002 Edinburgh Festival, winning a Fringe First Award among others. Hailed by the critics, "A theatre show that actually makes you think about your own life.... fascinating", Guardian; "This play moved me more profoundly than anything I can remember seeing in theatre" Scotsman.

With an added twist director Ciarda Tobin choose two casts! "Unfringed Festivals give theatre practitioners the opportunity to experiment and this will not only give the actors room to play but it will also show audiences how different group dynamics tell the same story" (Ciarda Tobin). These two performances, which promise to be unique, may cause a slight problem for two of its actors, Mike Keane and Linda Horgan. For boyfriend and girlfriend have been cast separately! With the two casts sworn to secrecy and forbidden to discuss either rehearsal process things could get a little tricky, "the hardest thing this month will not be the gruelling rehearsal schedule or line learning but avoiding letting anything slip when we chat" says Mike and Linda.
With most of the same crew as before, the energy and enthusiasm is abound with a 6.00am call for a photo shoot last weekend where the deserted streets of Limerick added an eerie dimension to the lost souls of these characters. Photo by local artist Dan Kenny.

Teaspach Theatre present 100 for the Limerick UNFRINGED FESTIVAL 2007 directed by Ciarda Tobin with assistant director Naomi O'Kelly. Nominated in every category Teaspach secured the much coveted Spirit of the Fringe on the night.

With a crew of over 20 servicing set design, costume design, makeup, graphic design, lighting/sound design, Teaspach are embarked on their most challenging production to date. However, because of the enthusiasm and commitment of their team Teaspach are undaunted by this huge task. Photos by Stephen Power.

The author, Clare Boothe Luce was raised in genteel poverty in New York City by a divorced mother, Clare moved to Greenwich, Connecticut when her mother remarried, this time to a local doctor. She spent a year in Paris with her mother and, after a rebellious stint in New York City working rather menial jobs, Clare returned to Connecticut and married her first husband, George Tuttle Brokaw. He inducted her into New York high society, but Clare was destined for something greater than merely being a Fifth Avenue matron. Like the women in her play, "The Women," Clare soon sought a "Reno divorce" from her husband.

Meanwhile, Clare's professional career as a writer and editor had taken off. As a testament to her ambition, she went from writing photo captions at VOGUE in 1930 to becoming an editor down the hall at VANITY FAIR in 1933. Clare's second husband, Henry R. Luce, president of Time, Inc., would be an equal match to her wit and ambition. Clare would go on to be a war correspondent for LIFE and eventually would become a congresswoman from Connecticut and later ambassador to Italy.

“TEASPACH stands as an inspiration to us all who care about the arts in Limerick. Now with THE WOMEN, strap yourself in for their best show yet. The claws are out in this classic bitch fest and they’re jungle red. I can’t wait to see it again.” Regards, David Gleeson Director of Cowboys & Angels and Award Winning film The Front Line.
"There is an amazing amount of creative energy in theatre in Limerick City at the moment and this is attributed to groups like Teaspach. I've known Teaspach members for a number of years now and have witnessed first-hand their dedication, passion and commitment to theatre in the city. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the cast and crew for all their hard work and efforts and have no doubt their latest contribution 'The Women' will be a huge success” Regards, Joe Leddin, Mayor of Limerick.

The Women sold out with audiences being turned away in their droves!!!

Belltable Fringe Festival
'Teaspach' Theatre Group in conjunction with the Belltable Fringe Festival presented a REHEARSED READING of new writing on the 2nd and 3rd of February 2006 @ lunchtime in the Belltable Balcony area and also for the first Mamuska night of 2006 with Daghdha Dance Company.

'Up From Our Knees', written by founder member Niamh Bowen, tells the story of four women in their thirties juggling careers, homelife, children and their men!!! They meet in one of their homes, drink some wine and as the night progresses some home truths are told. They all have issues in their lives but one of these women is about to confront hers.

This piece, hilarious at times, yet eerily menacing, is performed by 'Teaspach' members Karen Fitzgibbon and Sinead Wall along with Bridin Ryan, Ann Blake and Wayne Dignam, directed by Ciarda Tobin and produced by Stephanie O'Keeffe, Sinead Wall, Karen Fitzgibbon and Niamh Bowen.

Cast: Up from our Knees (rehearsed reading) - Karen Fitzgibbon, Sinead Wall, Bridin Ryan, Ann Blake, Wayne Dignam,
Written by Niamh Bowen and directed by Ciarda Tobin.

Crew: Karen Fitzgibbon, Niamh Bowen, Stephanie O'Keeffe, Sinead Wall.

'A Galway Girl' and 'The Donoghue Sisters'
Geraldine Aron was born in Galway but spent most of her life in South Africa, she is the author of as many as twelve plays produced for radio and television.

'A Galway Girl' explores the plight of an Irish rural working-class wife, Maisie, who tries to keep family and finances together despite the lack of support from her husband, Dermot.

'The Donoghue Sisters' is the story of three sisters re-united at their Mother's sickbed. They are gathered in the attic of their childhood home where they relive a horrific secret that occured their years before.

'Galway Girl/The Donoghue Sisters' ran for Thursday 24th March to Saturday 26th inclusive.

Cast: Edward Dillon and Karen Fitzgibbon/Helena Enright, Lorna O'Brien and Sinead Fahy directed by Tom O'Donnell.

Crew: Stephanie O'Keeffe, Sinead Wall, Karen Fitzgibbon, Niamh Bowen, Tom O'Donnell, Niamh Conroy.
Music Design by Niamh Conroy, Poster program designed by George Fitzgerald.

Cast: Edward Dillon Margaret Clancy, Eleanor Bennett, Karen Fitzgibbon, Pat Kelly and John Butler - directed by Tom O'Donnell and Niamh Bowen.

Crew: Niamh Bowen, Stephanie O'Keeffe, Tom O'Donnell, Sinead Wall, Carmel Bourke.
Music Design by Niamh Conroy, Poster program designed by George Fitzgerald

Lone Star
The sister play, 'Lone Star', consists of three characters, Roy (husband to Elizabeth), Ray (brother to Roy) and Cletis (husband to Amy Lee). They tell their version of life with these ladies, however, the story, as seen through their eyes, differs greatly from that of their female counterparts!

Cast: Lone Star - Donal Ryan, Brian Carroll and Mike McGrath - directed by Greg McDonald

Laundry & Bourbon
"Laundry & Bourbon" is the story of three very different women, Elizabeth, Hattie and Amy Lee, chatting on the front porch of Elizabeth's home in the intense heat that only exists in the Deep South! They talk, they drink, do some laundry and they drink some more and lubricated with plenty of bourbon, their secrets unfold. This is a touching tale laced generously with ridiculous comedy!

Cast: Laundry and Bourbon - Karen Fitzgibbon, Niamh Bowen and Lorna O'Brien - directed by Edward Dillon

Crew for both: Stephanie O'Keeffe, Andrew Adamson, Sinead Wall, Jacqueline Histon, Bridin Ryan, Tom O'Donnell,
Niamh Conroy, Shane McCurtain, Edward Dillon, Sinead Shanahan, Pat Fitzgibbon, Paul Graham and Brian Mason.

'An amazing night of comedy and high drama that had the audience laughing and crying simultaneously!'

Teaspach's first outing involved two productions presented on the same night in Dolan's Warehouse.

Below the Waist
The first, a short play entitled 'Below the Waist'. A humorous piece involving a psychiatrist and patient, although as the play progresses you will wonder who is the most in need of therapy.

Cast: Below the Waist - Andrew Adamson, Cliona Doyle and Stephanie O'Keeffe

Cast: The Nuns Wood - Niamh Bowen, Karen Fitzgibbon, Lorna O'Brien, Sinead Wall, William Crean, Michael McGrath,
Andrew Adamson, Albert Hickey, Christy Graham. Both pays directed by Albert Hickey and Niamh Bowen.

Crew for both: John Terranova, Jacqueline Histon, Tom O'Donnell, Mike Culliney,
Paul Tarpey, Shane MacCurtain, Andrew Coll, Sharon Kiely.

Pat Kinevane (Author of 'The Nuns Wood')

It turned out to be a riveting night, with the two plays presenting a refreshing mix of comedy and drama. We were also completely overwhelmed to realise when the curtain came down that the author of 'The Nuns Wood', Pat Kinevane, was in the audience! Here is what he said:

"Thank you, thank you for your care and talent in this ever difficult play. What you all did was transform it to a very languid and very beautiful dream. You have done a brilliant job and I am forever proud of you".