A Year of People Wipe Me
Forgive the longish post, but it's broken up into little bits so hopefully you'll fly through it.
I hope you'll humour me for yet another thoroughly self-indulgent post about my play. I'm just availing of the opportunity that this time of year gives me to catch my breath and reflect.
Also, it was this time last year that the People Wipe Me adventure properly began. Here's my People Wipe Me Timeline, which I hope captures the highlights of my fab year.
December 2021: I received a Mentoring Grant from Arts and Disability Ireland to work with Angela Keogh, a woman of bottomless compassion and creativity. Angela would rehearse with me and help me to plan a tour for People Wipe Me.
January 2022: My rehearsals with Angela kicked off at Garter Lane in Waterford. We had serious fun working on my script, acting it out and making it ready for stage. Angela also advised me on how to pitch the show to theatre venues.
Photo Description: Me in my brown woolly jumper, rehearsing in a shaft of sunlight. I'm to the right of the picture.
February: Rehearsals continued, at Garter Lane and at Carlow VISUAL. I started sending out pitches like little boats onto a wide sea, hoping some would return.
March: Rehearsals finished with Angela – feck. But before we finished, we shot a documentary video with ULAB Studios as part of the grant. The video was divided into clips which I could use to promote the show.
April: This was a big month for People Wipe Me. I confirmed a whopping three shows – in Clonakilty, Moone and Tramore. And Waterford Council awarded me a grant for my Tramore performance. The ships were returning to the harbour.
May: I confirmed my first Clonmel show at Cluain. I was delighted that manager Gerry Flynn took a chance on me and he advocated the play strongly to his board. Confirmation of the show came through in early May.
Photo Description; A pic of Cluain Coffee shop, with a glass door and a blue painted Cluain sign above the door.
June: I confirmed my final show in the summer 2022 tour, at Raheen House in Clonmel. I had sent two ships towards Clonmel and both of them yielded treasure. I also lined up a fabulous new rehearsal partner, actor Lynda Gough.
July: Showtime! I performed my first two shows at Cluain and Clonakilty, to rapturous receptions, including a standing ovation in Clonakilty. But I spent most of the month having a mighty laugh rehearsing with Lynda, who brought my show to life.
Photo Description: This is Molly's Café, a funky little place with big brown and red couches and a white tiled floor.
August: I performed two more shows in Moone and Tramore. The show at the Coastguard in Tramore featured my biggest audience. But I couldn't believe the size of the crowd in Moone. Both audiences gave me standing ovations. My head started to swell gently in the breeze.
September: All good things come to an end and I went out on a high with my final show in Clonmel, at Raheen House. Though many people had come to the Cluain show, a last-minute surge meant I gathered a respectable crowd. Who also gave me a standing ovation. Wow!
Photo Description: Me on the stage at Raheen House in my People Wipe Me costume, red jumper on my shoulders, tie-died T-shirty, leggings and brightly coloured socks, courtesy of Lynda Gough.
October: It was time to turn my attention to the three 2023 performances in Wexford, Thurles and Kill. James Power agreed to offer his support, and the support of his lighting technician for those performances.
November: I delivered a performance of People Wipe Me for James and his lighting technician, Andrew Dunphy. They mustn't have thought it was too bad because they confirmed their offer of support for my show dates.
Now here I am now in December 2022, with a five-date tour behind me and a three-date tour ahead of me. What a wild ride it's been.
And I would like to thank all of you, for reading this blog, buying tickets, sending supportive messages and spreading the words. I am touched by your support. The biggest delight of this play is realising how kind and supportive people are, which melts my contrarian heart.
I will end with a gratuitous plug. You can buy tickets for Wexford here and for Thurles here
Happy Christmas/holidays.