| christmasevecankillyoudec2015.docx |
Christmas Eve Can Kill You
by Marie Jones
This show lasts just over two hours with a short interval. This audio- described performance is provided by Sightlines NI, with the Lyric Theatre. The audio describers today are Marie Abbott and Ann Maynes.
The Set
When we enter the auditorium , the stage is a huge empty space filled only with the white tubular framework of a large taxi placed to the right of centre stage and a free standing white door frame standing to the left of the stage. The taxi sits in a pool of light in the middle of a dark area. Behind the taxi and door frame is a backdrop of black curtains with five tall flat panels spaced across the back of the stage. On each of the five tall black panels there are a number of lights, placed vertically,which serve as traffic lights, or to illuminate the cityscape or other scenes.
Characters exit and enter through the door frame when they are entering or leaving a house or other venue. Actors can also enter and leave the scene from each side of the stage. The black cloth backdrop and the darkness of the stage represents a night time cityscape through which the taxi travels with its passengers. The door represents the various front entrances at which the taxi’s passengers are deposited. At times we spot the silhouettes of characters moving behind the backdrop.
The taxi is fixed and doesn’t change position. When Mackers, the taxi driver, manoeuvres the steering wheel the lights on the backdrop constantly flicker giving the impression that the taxi is on a journey. When they are white we accept that the taxi is not moving. The taxi’s outer structural framework is life size and made from white cylinder shaped tubes which form the outline of a bonnet, windscreen and roof. Inside this construction four dark grey car seats, two at the front and two at the back fill the saloon. The steering wheel is very prominent supported by a long, dark rod coming from behind the taxi’s number plate at an angle of 45% and protruding from the dash board in front of the driver’s seat. There are no doors. Passengers simply slide sideways into their seats. A large light is suspended on a curved pole that emerges from the rear of the taxi and hangs over the taxi seats. It focusses light on the inside of the taxi.
The Cast in order of appearance
There is a cast of eight actors, most of whom play more than one role, or become passersby in a street scene, in the choir or at the airport. The play is set in Belfast and the clothing is contemporary to the period around the late nineteen - eighties.
The Creative Team
Writer: Marie Jones
Director: Dan Gordon
Set & Lighting Designer: Paul Keogan
Sound Designer: Garth McConaghie
Costume Designer: Pat Musgrave
by Marie Jones
This show lasts just over two hours with a short interval. This audio- described performance is provided by Sightlines NI, with the Lyric Theatre. The audio describers today are Marie Abbott and Ann Maynes.
The Set
When we enter the auditorium , the stage is a huge empty space filled only with the white tubular framework of a large taxi placed to the right of centre stage and a free standing white door frame standing to the left of the stage. The taxi sits in a pool of light in the middle of a dark area. Behind the taxi and door frame is a backdrop of black curtains with five tall flat panels spaced across the back of the stage. On each of the five tall black panels there are a number of lights, placed vertically,which serve as traffic lights, or to illuminate the cityscape or other scenes.
Characters exit and enter through the door frame when they are entering or leaving a house or other venue. Actors can also enter and leave the scene from each side of the stage. The black cloth backdrop and the darkness of the stage represents a night time cityscape through which the taxi travels with its passengers. The door represents the various front entrances at which the taxi’s passengers are deposited. At times we spot the silhouettes of characters moving behind the backdrop.
The taxi is fixed and doesn’t change position. When Mackers, the taxi driver, manoeuvres the steering wheel the lights on the backdrop constantly flicker giving the impression that the taxi is on a journey. When they are white we accept that the taxi is not moving. The taxi’s outer structural framework is life size and made from white cylinder shaped tubes which form the outline of a bonnet, windscreen and roof. Inside this construction four dark grey car seats, two at the front and two at the back fill the saloon. The steering wheel is very prominent supported by a long, dark rod coming from behind the taxi’s number plate at an angle of 45% and protruding from the dash board in front of the driver’s seat. There are no doors. Passengers simply slide sideways into their seats. A large light is suspended on a curved pole that emerges from the rear of the taxi and hangs over the taxi seats. It focusses light on the inside of the taxi.
The Cast in order of appearance
There is a cast of eight actors, most of whom play more than one role, or become passersby in a street scene, in the choir or at the airport. The play is set in Belfast and the clothing is contemporary to the period around the late nineteen - eighties.
- Tim O’ Loane plays the role of the taxi driver, Mackers. He has a pleasant appearance with regular features, is aged in his early forties, of medium height, slim build and has a shaved head. He wears a brown leather jacket, dark T-shirt and denim jeans and dark shoes.
- Dan Gordon plays several roles throughout the play. Dan is tall and well-built, with thick greying hair neatly cut. He has regular features.He first appears as Mr Dunne, a customer wearing a navy overcoat and flat cap. He also plays Stewartie, and in this role he wears glasses, a brown corduroy jacket, navy trousers and a red Christmasy tie with his white shirt. In the role of Daniel Demonte, an actor, he appears wearing a dark brown raincoat, with a soft brown trilby hat, carrying 3 expensive leather luggage bags. As Dermot the Deceiver, he wears a blue and white Christmas sweater with snowflakes and penguins on the front. As Santa he wears the traditional red outfit and in the role of the Detective he appears in a dark overcoat and hat.
- Tara Lynne O’Neill plays Ruby, the eldest of the three sisters. She is tall, slim and with regular features. As Ruby she first appears dressed for an evening out, with short dark hair worn with a fringe. She wears a dark red coat over a grey skirt and pink blouse and high heels. As Eileen, the wife of Dermot she has short blonde hair and wears a blue and white Christmas sweater featuring penguins and snowflakes, over a red skirt. Later she adds a long bright red coat to this outfit. As the Nurse she wears the nurses uniform of a dark blue dress, white apron and nurses cap, with a navy wool cape lined in red.
- Katie Tumelty plays 3 roles. She is the 2nd eldest of the sisters, Stella. She is tall and slender, with straight shoulder-length dark hair. She first appears with her sisters dressed for the night out, wearing a close-fitting neat jacket and straight skirt in dusky pink, with high heel shoes. Her other roles are Mrs Dunne , wife of Mr Dunne, dressed in dowdy brown coat, skirt and blouse and slippers. As Mrs Henderson she appears in an elegant slim, full-length silver evening dress, which reveals her bare shoulders. There is also a slit to the thigh on one side of the dress, which shows her leg as she walks. Her long black hair is worn in an elegant style, piled on the top of her head. High-heel shoes complete the outfit.
- Louise Parker plays the youngest sister, Karen, and also slips in and out of the parts of other young female characters- Julie O’Kane, Kelly, and Debbie. Louise is tall and slender, with natural, long straight fair hair, worn loosely hanging to her waist. Like her sisters she first appears dressed for a night out, wearing a light coloured loose jacket worn over a short yellow dress with tiers of fringing. She wears black tights and flat shoes. As Julie she wears a short full grey skirt and black tights with a pink blouse and a black leather jacket. In the role of Kelly she wears slim blue trousers, with a denim jacket over a T-shirt. On her head she wears a soft cap with a peak.
- Julia Deardan plays the mother of the three sisters. As mother, Julia is stately in her bearing, with her white hair swept up in a neat bun. She wears a neat beige suit with a fur trim on the jacket collar and carries a handbag. For the character of Mrs Duffy the pensioner, she appears in a long straight dark green coat, with a single row of buttons and a fawn coloured headscarf covers her hair and is worn tied under her chin.
- Jazzmin McClure plays a number of parts including the Dog warden, Snoopy the Dog ( in a Snoopy suit) a carol-singer and a waiter.
- Matthew McIlhinney plays the soldier, a young man, slight of build and with short fair hair. As the soldier he appears wearing camouflage fatigues and a helmet and rucsac. He also plays Michael, the young man going to The Mater Hospital, dressed in a denim jacket, T-shirt and jeans. For the role of Fergal, the boyfriend of Julie, he has long shoulder length hair and wears a multicoloured sweater and purple trousers, with white trainers.
- Sonny the Dog appears as himself.
The Creative Team
Writer: Marie Jones
Director: Dan Gordon
Set & Lighting Designer: Paul Keogan
Sound Designer: Garth McConaghie
Costume Designer: Pat Musgrave
