New NI Play looks to ‘Trump’ climate change

Award-winning theatre company, Sole Purpose Productions, is bringing their new play Mothers Out Front about climate change to a number of venues across the Northern Ireland later this month.
New play, Mothers Out Front, uses comedy to explore the serious issue of climate change.New play, Mothers Out Front, uses comedy to explore the serious issue of climate change.
New play, Mothers Out Front, uses comedy to explore the serious issue of climate change.

Written by Edie Shillue, a writer, academic and social campaigner, who has worked on global social issues for 20 years and works closely with asylum seekers and the immigrant community in Northern Ireland, the play uses comedy to explore the serious issue of climate change.

Mothers Out Front tells the story of three women from Northern Ireland who, after years of ‘thinking globally and acting locally’, are fed up with being ignored and go to a protest at a global economic summit in Dublin.

One of the women takes a wrong turn and decides to singlehandedly change the protest.

She kidnaps the American President, determined to exchange him for a different type of ransom.

This tragicomedy asks the question “how far would you go to save the only planet you ever had”.

Ms Shillue said: “This story will look familiar to many people, as three Irish women try to get all of us to listen to their warnings about the future.

“There’s nothing they won’t do to get us all to #listentoyourmother.

“I also hope that people take the time afterwards to ask questions about how they can better understand climate change and what they can do to help those among us who are climate defenders.”

The play’s director, Patricia Byrne, Artistic Director of Sole Purpose Productions, said: “We need to raise awareness of climate change as much as possible.

“Working with such a great cast and production team will certainly get the message out there in a dynamic and impactful way. I am grateful to our funders – the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for their support and dedication.”

The play can be seen May 15 and 16 at Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast; May 19 at An Coire, Maghera; May 21 and 22 at The Derry Playhouse; May 29 at Strule Arts Centre, Omagh; and The Alley Theatre, Strabane on May 30.

Each performance will be followed by a quest and answer session with members of Zero Waste North West and the writer.