OVERVIEW

• Playwright

  Damian Gorman 

• Author Notes

  The play was originally scripted by Damian Gorman, further developed prior to rehearsals by Janice Jarvis (Director), Jane Linz Roberts (Designer) and groups of young people and during rehearsals by Janice Jarvis and the cast. The play also features a piece, 'That Door ', written by Olwen Elliott, Collegiate School, Enniskillen, which is taken from ‘Our Lives’, a book of writing by Enniskillen school students, produced in a collaboration between Fermanagh District Council, Damian Gorman (An Crann/The Tree) and Enniskillen Town Vision.

• Notes

  This play was written for 14-18 year olds.

• Synopsis

  Carol is 16 and her friend Birdy calls her Rent-a-worry. Carol’s dad, an aspiring musician, optimistically calls himself Country Slim but can’t seem to write a song that could get him a job. Carol’s worn-out mum works in a fish factory where, harassed by her boss, she calls herself the Screaming Fishwife. Nobody calls the fourth family member, Mark, anything; he died when he was five and is not spoken of, though his ghostly presence is palpable in the way the family doesn't get on. Now Carol is writing an essay for school on The Time of My Life, and it's not easy. Sometimes she is sure of things, sometimes not. Sometimes she feels like a stranger in her own skin, sometimes like a rocket on its launching pad. Sometimes she's a daughter but sometimes she feels like a parent to her mum and dad. But most of all she just wishes that sometimes, people could really talk about what's important.

• Play Type

  Theatre for Young Audiences
  

  Number Of Acts

  Full-Length

Cast size

• Male

  4

• Female

  2

• Total

  6

• Cast Notes

  Cast-doubling is possible. See original production for details.

Original Production

• Date of First Production

  01 October 1998

• Producer

  Produced by Replay Theatre Company

• Venue Notes

  This play was first performed at Dunmurry High School, Belfast, as part of a tour to schools and venues.

Source Of Information

The information for this entry was taken from the original production programme. Additional information was supplied by Replay Productions from information contained in the company files.