Jody O'Neill Commission - What the Telly Saw

Wicklow-based playwright Jody O’Neill and team are in Mermaid this week workshopping “What the Telly Saw”.

This new play was commissioned by Mermaid through commissioning funds from Arts Council Ireland, with directorial support from Lynne Parker at Rough Magic Theatre Company and dramaturgical support from Louise Stephens at the Abbey Theatre. Workshop cast includes: Venetia Bowe, Brian Doherty, Andrea Irvine, Niamh McAllister, Aidan Moriarty and Jack Mullarkey.

The initial development of this work was supported by Irish Theatre Institute through a workshop facilitated by Javier Daulte

The play will explore family dynamics, memory, abuse and the ripple effect that abuse can have, generation to generation, parent to child, sibling to sibling. Jody drafted the play in the early part of 2021 and now, in June, Mermaid is providing space for a development week for the piece, with a view to bringing a final draft to fruition later in the Summer.

Speaking about the commission, Jody O’Neill said: 'I'm really excited about embarking on this commission with Mermaid. Particularly at this time, it means so much as a freelance artist to be supported by the Arts Council in setting out to write an ambitious new piece of work, with the hope that very soon all our theatres will be able to open their doors to audiences again.'