Finding a Stage - The Irish Playwright Abroad
 Speakers: Stella Feehily, Wilson Milam, Pippa Ellis & Loughlin Deegan
Chair: Jim Culleton 

 Ireland has always paid homage to its writers but increasingly new Irish work is being championed away from home. 

 UK venues such as the Royal Court, the Bush, and production companies such as Paines Plough and Out of Joint have had a pivotal role in nurturing the Irish writer abroad. Do Irish companies have resources too limited to harbour new writing, leaving Irish playwrights little opportunity to develop their work in Ireland? 

This session looks at Irish writing from an international perspective and asks if Irish theatre is equipped to cultivate its own writers. 

 Time & location: 17:00 Thursday 15 June in University Concert Hall 

 Jim Culleton is the Artistic Director of Fishamble for which he most recently directed a developmental presentation of Forgotten by Pat Kinevane, The Gist of It by Rodney Lee and the award-winning Monged by Gary Duggan. He has also directed for Amnesty International, Pigsback, 7:84 (Scotland), Project Arts Centre, Amharclann de hIde, Tinderbox, the Passion Machine, the Ark, Second Age, the Abbey & Peacock, Semper Fi, TNL Canada, Scotland’s Ensemble @ Dundee Rep, Draiocht, Barnstorm, TCD School of Drama, RTE lyric fm and Origin (New York). 

 He co-edited Contemporary Irish Monologues and edited Fishamble/Pigsback: First Plays both for New Island Books and has edited/contributed to books for Carysfort Press, Ubu and Amnesty International. He will next direct some short plays as part of Whereabouts for Fishamble/Temple Bar Cultural Trust and a revival of Monged for the Liverpool Irish Festival. 

 Stella Feehily’s first play Duck (2003) was a co-production with Out Of Joint and the Royal Court. It opened at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival, toured Britain and then played at the Peacock and The Royal Court (Upstairs), London. Game, a short play for Fishamble Theatre Company was performed at Project, and She was wearing... for Amnesty/Fishamble. Her second full length play 0 go my Man was a co-production with Out of Joint and the Royal Court (Downstairs) in January 2006. Radio work includes - Julia Roberts Teeth - Radio 3 and Sweet Bitter- Lyric FM. She is currently under commission to the Soho Theatre.