As part of Origin’s 1st Irish Festival, 2021
Written by Darren Murphy
Directed by Caitríona McLaughlin
Music by Carl Kennedy
Starring Marty Rea, Seán McGinley, and Marie Mullen
Tom, confined to his bed in Belfast with COVID-19 is unable to visit his mother, Rose, who is dying in Dublin. His uncle, Larry, arranges a call from Rose’s sickbed. As Larry holds his phone to Rose’s ear, Tom tells his mother the story of a journey – an image of a perfect day they once shared. It’s a Belfast story, and it’s the very last thing he can do for his mother – the only thing he can do for her. As Tom speaks, he takes his mother home on her final voyage, during the last ten minutes of her life. The Gifts You Gave to the Dark is about the power of story to offer succor and comfort in even the bleakest times, over separations of geography and time.
The free World Premiere of The Gifts You Gave to the Dark, written by Darren Murphy (Irish Blood, English Heart) kicked off Irish Rep’s digital summer season, in May of 2020. This new production was written specifically for digital media in reaction to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis. Directed by Caitríona McLaughlin (Associate Director, Abbey Theatre) and featuring music by Carl Kennedy, The Gifts You Gave to the Darkis an official selection of the Origin 1st Irish Theatre Festival, 2021.
Read the performance program here!
Special thanks to Scott McKendry for the blue of the delft, and to Jimmy McAleavey for being our routemaster and guide.
The Gifts You Gave to the Dark was made with the assistance of the Irish Abroad Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Irish Arts Council, and The Consulate General of Ireland in New York and the Howard Gilman Foundation.
