Petals at Theatre Upstairs.

Kate Gilmore, in this one woman play, takes the role of a young girl in her mid to late teens who recounts her sexual experience, needs and awareness. She needs no introduction to how the male anatomy works, the cleanliness of young males, or their house keeping habits. She is clued in even if she needs a vomit inducing level of alcohol to make the fulfilment of her needs occur.

Guidance from parents or teachers carries little weight with her. But she is copped on enough to know that getting “up the duff” is not the brightest thing that she could do.

Laura Honan’s set consists of a large floor to ceiling light box placed in the centre at the back of the stage which takes up about half of the back wall. Again within its centre and also going from floor to ceiling is a shiny black tiled wall. This complements the shiny black formica floor. It proves remarkably flexible in conjuring up the easy to wipe-down surfaces necessary for night clubs, toilets and bars where most of the action takes place.

The plays in Theatre Upstairs last under an hour so are ideal for a lunch time visit. The length of Petals may be slightly too long as Gilmore had to maintain a clipped pace throughout. Consequently she has little opportunity to vary the speed at which she delivers her story in verse. Maybe a little editing of the text would solve this shortcoming in what was a gritty rendition of the sexual reality for a young girl on the make, on a night out.

Find out more about Petals here.

CAST – Kate Gilmore

CREATIVE TEAM

Director / Karl Shiels

Set Design / Laura Honan

Lighting Design / Eoin Stapleton

Sound Design + Composition / Derek Conaghy

Assistant Director / Clodagh Mooney Duggan

Visual Design / Ste Murray
DATES: Tuesday, December 9th – Saturday, December 20th

1PM Performances:

Tuesday – Saturday
(Dec 9th – 13th / Dec 16th – 20th)

7PM Performances:

Thursday – Saturday
(Dec 11th – 13th / Dec 18th – 20th)