Jasango Theatre presents BOMBSHELLS
A rollicking comedy. Jasango Theatre wowed audiences last year with the Irish Premiere of BOMBSHELLS, a wild and passionate comedy by Joanna Murray-Smith, featuring Angela Ryan and Jasmin Finn and directed by George B. Miller. Following a successful run at Galway’s Bank of Ireland Theatre Bombshells went on to be one of the highlights of the Theatre Stage Mindfield Programme at Electric Picnic 2009.
Such was the enthusiastic response to this sharp script, that it seemed only fitting to undertake a national tour. Bombshells is a rip-roaring, explosive and hilarious evening spent with several generations of women on the edge. From the fame-seeking teenager to the frenetic young mother to the simmering widow and the exultant, terrified bride, these women will surprise and delight you in this series of vivid monologues.
“A rare combination of comedy, truth and rapture”– The Times
“Jaw-droppingly good” — Sunday Times
“Beautifully judged in their mixture of comedy and depression” — The Guardian
Written for performer Caroline O’Connor, Bombshells premiered at the Melbourne Theatre Company, Australia in 2001. In 2004, the production, starring O’Connor, was one of the hits of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, transferring to the Arts Theatre in London. Playwright Joanna Murray-Smith’s plays have been produced throughout Australia and the world; her newest play, The Female Of The Species, received its UK premiere in London’s West End in 2008. Of Bombshells, she says “Where once women went mad suppressing their ambitions or dreams, they now drive themselves mad trying to fulfill them all simultaneously…humour, in the end, is our saviour.”
The Irish Tour was a rollicking success with full houses and overwhelmingly positive audience feedback such as the following; “Highly recommended, A must see!” “Uplifting” ‘Excellent” “Highly recommended, witty, splendid acting” “I was bowled over with laughter!” “Sides sore from laughing”
the event for their annual Summer Theatre. In keeping with Jasango’s commitment to collaboration, this production showcased smart, haunting music by the Go Away Birds, and the evocative artwork of Cork Artist Katie Egerton.
Jasango Theatre was founded by Galway–based theatre artists Angela Ryan and Jasmin Finn as a collaborative, multi-disciplinary company, bringing together musicians, visual artists and theatre practitioners to create fresh, multi-dimensional theatrical events.
September saw Jasango return to perform at Electric Picnic before taking the production to America to kick off a U.S. tour at The Celtic Classic Festival outside Philadelphia. New York dates are being finalized for March 2011. They resume touring in Ireland in January 2011 with a host of performances in Kildare, Offaly, Cavan, Mayo, Sligo, Donegal and more in the pipeline. Busy times ahead for these bombshells. To hear more about Jasango Theatre( an amalgamation of founders Jasmin and Angela’s names and also standing for Juicy, Artful, Sensual, Alive, Nimble, Genuine, Original Theatre) or Bombshells, contact the company at jasangotheatre@gmail.com or at 086 3638758 or see www.jasangotheatre.com. You can also follow keep up to date with Jasango on Facebook by joining the group Jasango Theatre.
COMPANY & COLLABORATORS BIOS
Angela Ryan (Producer/Actress) originally from Kerry, is a well-known Galway-based actress, trained at NUI Galway where she graduated with an Honours M.A. in Drama and Theatre Studies. Selected roles include Nicky in Shakers (Blue Pig Theatre); Bianca in Desdemona-A Play About a Handkerchief, Sarah in Goodwill, and Juror 6 in The Tinker’s Blade (Selkie Theatre), Bridget in Bridget Jones Diary (Lily Hill Productions), Everywoman/Narrator in Maiden Voyages (Liberty Hall, Dublin) Bernie/Bridog/Liz in Invisible Women (Dha Ein Theatre, Dublin Fringe, Galway Arts Festival); and more. Films include Ann+Barry Today, Red-Haired Mary, The Yanks Are Here, Twice, Against The Grain, and Waiting For Dublin. Angela made her playwriting debut in 2008 when Selkie Theatre produced her play Til Kingdom Come in cooperation with Age Action Ireland.
Jasmin Finn (Producer/Actress) has trained with Galway Youth Theatre, performing in several GYT productions at both the Cuirt Festival and the Galway Arts Festival. Productions include: Under Milkwood, Autobahn, Lysistrata, Chatroom, and This Means War. Jasmin worked with Druid Theatre on Patrick McCabe’s The Revenant for the Galway Arts Festival, and recently toured Ireland in Bernard Field’s Last Train To Hollyhead, and Blue Pig Theatre’s Shakers.
George B. Miller (Director) is the Artistic Director of Galway’s Selkie Theatre and Community Drama Facilitator for ALâ. A graduate of Rutgers and Princeton universities, George was Artistic Director of the award-winning Theatre Outlet (outside Philadelphia) for 16 years. He served on the Pennsylvania Council On the Arts and as a Resident Artist with Lehigh University, the National Parks Service, and the Playwrights Center of Minneapolis. He has worked in professional theater and film for 40 years as an actor, director, playwright, designer, and educator. In Galway, George has directed several premieres, including The Tinker’s Blade at An Taibhdhearc, Kerric Harvey’s Broken Moon At Midnight at St. Nicholas Church, Til Kingdom Come by Angela Ryan at Bank Of Ireland Theatre, NUIG; and Pat Collins’ Goodwill for the Galway Theatre Festival. He most recently directed Pulitzer Prize-winner Paula Vogel’s Desdemona…A Play About A Handkerchief for Selkie’s new WomensWork Project, and Honor Molloy & Bronagh Murphy’s Maiden Voyages at Liberty Hall in Dublin.
Patrick O’Reilly (Lighting Design) is a Galway-based lighting designer whose recent designs include: The Midnight Court, Under Milkwood, Country Music, King Lear, A Midsummer Night Dream (Galway Youth Theatre); The Tinkers Blade, Mark Twain – On Tour!, Goodwill, Til Kingdom Come and Desdemona – A Play About A Handkerchief (Selkie Theatre); The Fairgreen Slaughterhouse (Poc Productions); Give Up Those Auld Comedians (Blue Teapot), Opportunity Knocks (Flock Dance Company). He was Production manager for Decadent Theatre’s productions of The Lieutenant Of Inishmore and Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, and toured nationally with Little John Nee’s Rural Electric and Blue Pig’s Shakers.
Go Away Birds (Production Music) are a part side project, part ongoing concern of Catherine Ireton and Michael John McCarthy. You may already know this pair from their other exploits – Catherine as the main voice of Stuart Murdoch’s God Help The Girl project. Michael is one of three people in Zoey Van Goey, and helping out on various Glasgow-based musical happenings including the Lord Cut-Glass album. Whatever their other concerns, with Go Away Birds, they’re keeping things as simple as possible, mainly just Michael’s acoustic guitar and Catherine’s beautiful, pure and clear voice. Go Away Birds have put out two four-track EPs, drawing from a deep well of songs recorded last year in Michael’s Glasgow living room.
Friday 25th February at 8pm
Tickets €18 / €16 for OAPs & Students
10% discount for Group rates
