Gutted by Sharon Byrne: An Irish black comedy
Touring October 2019
Gutted, an Irish black comedy by Sharon Byrne, opens in Canterbury on 3 October and will visit the Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith (Fri 11 Oct), The Maud, Walthamstow (Wed 16 Oct), The Dugdale Centre, Enfield (Fri 25 Oct) and Omnibus Theatre, Clapham (Tue 29 & Wed 30 Oct) as part of its 15-venue Autumn tour. Set in a 1980’s Dublin fish-factory, Gutted explores the lives of three strong women, played by Eleanor Byrne, Niamh Finlay and Sarah Hosford, with dark humour and tenderness. Gutted is directed by Chris White.
Sharon Byrne (Charlie’s Wake, Finborough Theatre) draws on her Dublin upbringing to present the lives of three women working in a fish factory in the 1980’s. Through comic monologue, the women give us a snapshot of the characters and challenges in their lives at the time. Exploring themes of family, trust, love and loss, Gutted touches on issues of domestic violence and abortion, which remain as relevant today as they were over 30 years ago.
Sharon Byrne explains: “Growing up close to a fish factory in Dublin, I was intrigued by the charismatic and resilient women who I’d see travelling to and from work there. They were tough, hard-working women, but they never stopped chatting and laughing. Life as a woman in Ireland still has its – often suppressed – challenges, and I felt compelled to raise awareness of these issues and help break the silence.”
“An exhilarating experience and a wonderful life affirming play”. Mark Everett, Former Director, The Marlowe, Canterbury.
Director Chris White leads Soho Theatre’s Writer’s Lab and is an RSC Associate, directing a production of Henry IV at the Houses of Parliament and leading residencies and projects in China, India and the United States. Most recently he directed Booby’s Bay by Henry Darke.
This production is made possible with the support of Arts Council England, Producer Vivienne Foster, writer Sharon Byrne, The Marlowe Canterbury and First Degree East.