OVERVIEW

• Playwright

  Graham McLaren 

• Adapted / Translated From

  Paul Laverty (2)

• Adapted From Notes

  Adapted from Paul Laverty's script for the 2014 film, Jimmy's Hall, directed by Ken Loach.

• Synopsis

  Jimmy’s Hall tells the true story of Leitrim farmer Jimmy Gralton, the only Irishman deported from his own country. His crime was to build a dance hall where he encouraged the local community to learn, to argue and to dream, but above all to dance and have fun. As the hall grew in popularity its free-spirited reputation brought it to the attention of the church and politicians who forced Jimmy to flee and the hall to close. A decade later, at the height of the Depression, Jimmy returns from the US. The hall stands abandoned but as Jimmy sees the poverty and growing oppression in the village, the leader and activist within him is stirred. He decides to reopen the hall, and so takes on the established authorities of the church and the government.

• Play Type

  Adaptation/Translation
  

  Number Of Acts

  Full-Length

Cast size

• Male

  8

• Female

  5

• Total

  13

Original Production

• Date of First Production

  20 July 2017

• Producer

  Produced by Abbey Theatre/Amharclann na Mainistreach

• Venue Notes

  Premiered in The Sports Complex, Carrick-on-Shannon Community School, Leitrim.

Source Of Information

The information for this entry was taken from the play's original production programme and the Abbey Theatre website.