What About Us – The stage is set for Sean Ronan’s hard-hitting play
By Hayden Moore
Set in the Grant family home, two parents use alcohol as a mask for their problems as they struggle to cope with the pressure of raising a family, with the kids being left to wonder “What About Us?”. Focused on the affects alcohol has and how tolerable young children can be of it, What About Us will leave audiences exasperated with intense emotion, and keeling over with laughter at the same time.
Sean Ronan, who lives with his partner Bernie Kelly in Crumlin, started the Out of the Blue theatre company alongside Bernie back in 1997. Since his initial taste of drama, he found global success with his first play ‘Mr. Heroin’ as it brought him to America to showcase his play.
Sean Ronan
Originally from Drimnagh, Sean caught the acting bug after he went to his local community centre to kill time, whilst his partner Bernie was teaching kids drama there.
In the 21 years since, he has written, produced, and directed 14 plays.
Sean told The Echo about letters he found between his late father and a First Lady of the United States, and what audiences can expect from his play What About Us.
What made you initially pick up the pen?
I basically started doing that when my father passed away, so around ’96-’97. I didn’t actually know that he wrote stuff, but I found a couple of letters that he had written to President Kennedy’s wife, Jackie Onassis, sending his condolences – and they actually replied to him. It was brilliant how it was put together, but that kind of inspired me on.
What was your first play?
The first piece I ever wrote was called ‘Mr. Heroin’. That came about through one of my sons, who ended up on heroin. Through the piece I was trying to explain how it affected the parents, because you never hear how it affects the family. I went around to different community centres to share my experiences and found that if you actually write stuff down, it seriously helps you. 20 years on, he is still using heroin, but he is in a much better place now, and we’re in a better place too.
You showcased your play in America?
Because ‘Mr Heroin’ was solely in relation to parents that where dealing with their sons or daughters drug addiction, I wanted to show what it was like for an addict and how they coped. Seeing it with my own son – at the end of the day, they’ve a life, it might be a s**t life, but they’ve a life and I wanted to show that. A rehab centre just outside Boston asked us to come over and perform the play. So, we went over and did five performances, they paid for our expenses but the money they took in from ticket sales went back to the rehab centre.
A short film about your play was made?
I was performing ‘Sweet Dreams’ at the international bar in town. After the show this French couple came up to me and said they wanted to make a short film of it. So, they stayed here for three months with us, and shot the film. It actually ended up being picked up in America, and we ended up being invited to a festival in Manhattan – with the lead actress, Suzanne Lakes being nominated for best actress. It was totally something new for me, but if I had to choose I’d always go back to the stage because it feels much more rewarding.
What can audiences expect from ‘What About Us?’
I’ve written it about alcohol, but not necessarily about alcohol itself. More about how it has become so accepted in young families with young children, and how it’s just part of their life. You’ve only to walk around Dublin supermarkets, and the main thing you see is the drinks section. I just wanted to show a play that’s shown from the perspective of the young family, and how it affects them in all sorts of different ways, with the children from a young age being so tolerant of alcohol.
‘What About Us’ will be shown in the Civic Theatre Tallaght on 2-5 May at 8.15pm.
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