THEATRE fans worldwide can enjoy the latest Druid production from the comfort of their own homes this week.
The premiere of Once Upon a Bridge, a new play by Sonya Kelly, will be live-streamed from its home at the Druid Theatre Company’s Mick Lally Theatre to a global audience.
Set in London, the piece is inspired by a real-life event which saw a woman pushed into the path of a bus by a jogger on Putney Bridge in 2017.
When CCTV footage of the traumatic incident was released - which only saw the terrified woman’s life saved due to the bus driver being able to swerve to avoid hitting her – it went viral.
Kelly was one of the many who found herself watching the shocking footage over and over again, which she claims is “one of the most unbelievably random and horrific acts of deliberate aggression I have ever seen”.
The playwright spent many months attempting to find a way to tackle the Putney Bridge incident in her work but struggled with the lack of progression in the real-life case – the jogger was never caught, and the police closed their case on him in 2018.
Sonya Kelly (PIC:Ros Kavanagh)It wasn’t until Covid-19 hit in 2020 that Kelly found the creative breakthrough she was looking for.
“Suddenly, the tiny spaces between us, and how we protect them have never been so vital to the survival of humankind,” Kelly has explained of her work.
“The mystery of the man, the woman, and the bus driver no longer seemed an impediment.”
Druid commissioned Kelly to write the piece in spring 2020, during the first national Covid-19 lockdown, following their success with the playwright’s comedy Furniture, which the company toured across Ireland in 2019.
Once Upon A Bridge “weaves a tale about human triumph and frailty, about the power of destiny and chance, and why sometimes we choose to hate, and other times we choose to dance”, the theatre company explains.
“Druid will continue to present live theatre in whatever way possible,” explained Garry Hynes, Druid’s Artistic Director.
“A new play from Sonya is terrific in any case but to have her write something directly inspired by these extraordinary times is particularly exciting.”
She added: “We’re describing it as a fairytale for a modern age and I’m really looking forward to seeing our audiences’ response to it.
“Each performance of Once Upon a Bridge will be presented in The Mick Lally Theatre, Galway, streamed live from Druid’s home to yours.’
Directed by Sara Joyce, there are four performances of the play being broadcast this week – from February 11-13.
The cast includes Druid Ensemble member Aaron Monaghan (The Cherry Orchard, DruidShakespeare: Richard III, Waiting for Godot) with Siobhán Cullen (The Cherry Orchard, DruidShakespeare: Richard III) and Adetomiwa Edun (BBC’s Merlin, Universal/Netflix’s Bates Motel; Translations, National Theatre).
Once Upon a Bridge by Sonya Kelly, directed by Sara Joyce, will be live broadcast from The Mick Lally Theatre, Galway from February 11-13 at 7.30pm (Matinee – February 13, 2.30pm). Tickets, costing £15, available here.
