John's play goes over the top

Local writer John Martin is having his first play performed in the Riverbank Theatre in Newbridge for four nights later this month.

The play, 'Over the Top', is set in WW1 and is described as having a realistic adult theme that depicts some of the trials and tribulations which the soldiers in that conflict went through.

John was one of nearly a hundred writers throughout the county who expressed an interest in the project at the end of 2006 nearly. Each of them -- aged from eight upwards -- submitted a one page outline of a play they wished to write.

Nine were selected by an independent panel of readers to develop their outline stories into plays and they worked with Mary Linehan, Peter Hussey (Crooked House and Kildare Youth Theatre) and with award winning playwright Eugene O'Brien to transform their outlines into finished scripts.

Now, after much hard work and waiting the end of the process is in sight. An independent panel of readers has chosen one script from each age group to be given a full production at the Riverbank. The other scripts from each group will receive a full rehearsed reading.

John's play will be performed on the nights of 19-22 March, while the primary and secondary school winners' productions will be performed earlier on each day.

"It has been going very well in rehearsals," John told the Diary this week. "It's fascinating to sit there and watch the characters come to life, people that were in your head as characters."

He says that the interpretation of the director can be different from what the writer does, and that it has been interesting to see the elements that the director has picked out and highlighted.

"Some of them might not be what I would have highlighted if I was directing it," he admits, "but that's also an interesting aspect of it, and there are things there that I must have put in sub-consciously."

Brian Byrne.