IT looks set to be a busy year for Bedrock Theatre Company, but director Jimmy Fay didn't look in the slightest bit fazed at the opening of Greek in the Project @ the Mint. This first Bedrock production of the year is directed by Jason Byrne, currently staff director in the Abbey, and opened originally during the Dublin Fringe festival. The Steven Berkoff play went down a treat there and they decided to bring it back to the Project. After the week-long run with Greek, Bedrock will turn their attentions to the next project - bringing Alex Johnston's new play, Deep Space, to the Adelaide Fringe Festival in February. Alex specialises in rather impressive premieres - his very first play, Melonfarmer, opened in the Peacock at last year's Theatre Festival. After the opening run in Australia, Deep Space will play at the prestigious Bush Theatre in London, before returning for a national tour and the fringe festival here next autumn.
Another of Ireland's up-and-coming playwrights, Mark O'Rowe, is also busy, currently working on three new opuses, one of which may be seen in the Peacock during the year. He chatted to Fishamble's publicist Maureen Keneally, who is helping to organise the Amnesty International gig in the Gaiety in February. Other busy publicists included Lucy McKeever, Madeline Boughton and Gilly Clarke from the Abbey, who took time out from the preparations for The Wake, to come to Greek.
Composer Trevor Knight came along with artist Alice Maher - they have been commissioned by the Project to complete an interdisciplinary piece together. Ciaran Benson, chairman of the Arts Council, was there, talking to Harold Fish of the British Council, and Jack Gilligan, arts officer of Dublin Corporation. Ali Curran, director of the fringe festival and actor Fionnuala Murphy also caught the show.