Straight to Video: Tallaght set play live at The Civic

By London Brazal

Emmet Kirwan’s new play ‘Straight to Video’ is debuting its world premiere on October 28 at The Civic in Tallaght.

Presented by Landmark Productions, playwright Emmet Kirwan and director Phillip McMahon welcome audiences to watch the biting new comedy.

With a cast of seven, ‘Straight to Video’ is the first ensemble piece written by Kirwan to date, and has a stellar cast in Stephen Brennan, Colin Campbell, Lloyd Cooney, Derbhle Crotty, Callan Cummins, Kate Gilmore and Emmet Kirwan.

Set in the mid 90s in a video shop in west Tallaght, the owner Barry is having problems with his staff, the customers, a local vigilante, and an elusive video pirate called The Video Van Man who is ripping off his stock. His long-suffering staff, Karl and Claire, are the movie geek brains that keep the shop going, but they and the shop are under threat from a multitude of outside forces.

The shop simply cannot survive in the conditions. All anyone in this play wants is to watch a film together in peace.

‘Straight to Video’ is a buzzing ensemble comedy with a huge heaving heart. It promises to be a thought provoking night full of belly laughs and a real tonic for audiences returning to live theatre.

Previews will begin at The Civic on October 28 to November 1 at 8pm.

The show will then run from November 2 to 6 with performances starting at 8pm. There will be a matinee on Saturday, November 6 at 3pm. Tickets start at €15.

Playwright, screenwriter and actor Emmet Kirwan is best known for writing and performing in his award-winning lyrical odyssey ‘Dublin Oldschool’, for his IFTA award-winning poetry short film ‘Heartbreak’, and for writing and starring in cult Irish television comedy series ‘Sarah and Steve’. Kirwan is also a veteran actor of the Irish stage.

Phillip McMahon is a playwright and theatre director based in Dublin. His new play ’Once Before I Go’ opens in the Gate Theatre in October.

Phillip’s directing credits include ‘Insane Animals’, ‘Not a Funny Word’, ‘Town is Dead’, ‘Dublin Oldschool’, ‘RIOT’ and much more.

To book tickets or for additional information see https://www.civictheatre.ie/