Wicklow playwright hits on abuse in rugby schools in new play

‘The Island’ debuts at The New Theatre in Dublin on May 28. Two productions of the play will also take place at the Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, on June 25 and 27.

Set around a kitchen island, circa 2022, the play focuses on four Dublin school friends, now in their mid 50’s, as they gather to celebrate a win 42 years later over a rival rugby school and to piece together news of the death of an estranged school pal ‘Gonzo’, which brings all of them back to their ‘glorious’ school days and also hidden dark truths they have never shared, until now.

Using humour to draw out the hope, love and humanity in an otherwise dark chapter in our history, ‘The Island’ was inspired by a request from a survivor from one of these elite rugby schools to tell their story.

The cast consists of Padraig Murray, Laurence Lowry, Conor Donelan, Owen O’Gorman and Patrick Loftus and the director is Seamus Moran.

Tina Noonan is an established playwright and screenwriter based in Wicklow town. She was selected for the Abbey 5 x 5 2020 for her stage play ‘The Linen Room’, performed by Direct Provision residents living in Wicklow town. Her first play, ‘The Prodger’, premiered at The New Theatre in 2012 and later toured Northern Ireland as part of WW1 Centenary Commemorations 2016.

Her second, ‘The 3 Kings’, was performed at Theatre Upstairs in Dublin 1 in 2014. Tina’s first radio play, ‘Leonie Summers’ was shortlisted for the P J O’Connor Award in 2007. Her screenplay ‘Broken’ was a finalist in the Kerry International Film Festival 2021 and her screenplay ‘The Golden Nugget’ was a finalist at the Waterford International Film Festival 2022.

Her newest play is suitable for those aged 14 and over.