'Madame de Markievicz On Trial' tours the country

The play 'Madame de Markievicz On Trial’, written by Ann Matthews and directed by Anthony Fox, is touring the country at present. Next week it is being staged in Newbridge, Kilkenny and Galway.

When it comes to the women, who took part in the Rebellion, Madame de Markievicz is the most well-known. 

A play never claims to be an accurate account of an historical event. A play, like a good teacher, makes one think about people, things and events. And certainly 'Madame de Markievicz On Trial' directed by Anthony Fox gives the audience an opportunity simply to ask themselves, who exactly is this Countess de Markievicz.

The Countess was tried by court martial in the aftermath of the Rebellion but this drama is set in a criminal court and is a fictional calling to account of the Countess for the death of police constable Michael Lahiff on Easter Monday 1916.  

There are seven characters in the drama, two men, and five women. The prosecutor William May is fictional and the other six, including the Countess, are based on real characters. 

The writer Ann Matthews and the The New Theatre with a superb cast has brought them to life on the stage, 

The witnesses are based on a mix of acquaintances and friends of Madame, such as Dr Kathleen Lynn, Helena Molony, Margaret Skinnider, and William O’Brien of the ITGWU, while two of the women are witnesses for the prosecution, one of whom is the aunt of Constable Lahiff. 

Was de Markievicz a fantasist, did she like dressing up in military fatigues for the fun of it, or had she thought all this through? Indeed, the prosecution does try to paint a picture of a silly woman, who is close to penury and is really something of a loose cannon.

The audience will be the jury as they will decide the verdict, innocent or guilty.

There are also interesting comments about class. Were people in awe of de Markievicz because of her background and do we still tug the forelock when her name is mentioned almost 90 years after her death?

For more information log on to www.thenewtheatre.com.