SIREN PRODUCTIONS PRESENT – The Irish Premiere of GROUNDED
by George Brant – starring Clare Dunne & directed by Selina Cartmell
at Project Arts Centre as part of Tiger Dublin Fringe 2015 – 5th-12th September 2015
We had the chance to interview Clare Dunne, star of Grounded, sure to be one of the highlights of the Tiger Dublin Fringe Festival this year. You can see the results below.
Looking at the list of countries Grounded has been performed in, is it exciting to bring it to Dublin?
Yep, so exciting to bring it to Dublin. Great play, great writing, amazing director….this piece encompasses so much for people to connect to. Plus it’s good entertainment. It might make you discuss and question the nature of war, technology hindering or helping us, work/life balance, love, mental health….it’s all in there! This is one of those special things that will probably get done for years. I’m so grateful to be part of the Dublin premiere.
You follow an impressive list of actresses who have performed the part, does that carry an extra weight of responsibility?
Yeah amazing actresses have done this so I guess there’s a bit of rising to the occasion about it. I know the writing demands a lot and from reviews I get the impression this is like doing something as epic as Hamlet but on your own. I also realise it’s been done a million ways so whatever we do will probably be different anyway. So I just feel the normal healthy ‘get yourself prepared’ kind of pressure. She said….hopefully.
Have you seen it performed before?
No never seen it performed.
How did this production come about? Did you audition or did (director) Selina Cartmell approach you?
Selina asked me to meet her for coffee. Not very often actors get treats like that. She told me about it. I’d heard about it but not read it. She sent me the script. I read it aloud in my kitchen then asked her if there’s a chance we could squeeze it in this year because it’s so current. Cue rapid organisation, last minute funding, and boom we got here. I’m real lucky. Selina is a pro.
How do you get inside the head of an F-16 fighter pilot?
The internet is a great thing isn’t it? I watched documentaries, read articles, and I met wonderful members of the Irish Air Force and Irish army. Ciaran Allen and Jimmy Hayles. Legends! Seriously that was the best experience ever. And the women I met in the Air Force – they are incredible, smart, funny, loving, open, brave, women and chatted away to me over a cuppa.
Have you ever flown a drone in real life?
No – that’s bad isn’t it. Have a feeling I might be crap at it. But I have a drone game app on my phone for the craic? Does that count?
Your web site says you are developing a feature film, is it too early or can you spill the beans?
Feature film….not a word not a word. Early days.
No More Workhorse 