With such an abundance of theatre openings this week, it was difficult to make an appearance at every play. High on Roddy Doyle's list of things to do on Wednesday, however, was to attend the premiere of Dermot Bolger's new play, The Passion of Jerome. The play is set in a dilapidated flat in Ballymun, and concerns ghosts, poltergeists and suchlike. During the interval, Doyle was pressed to give a quick critique of his friend's play, but - apart from saying he found Bolger's new work "intriguing" - he would not be drawn on a verdict until he had seen the whole thing. Funny, that hasn't stopped other critics before.
Asked if he could relate to the gritty, urban setting of the play, Doyle replied: "Yes, but I can't relate to ghosts or things that go bump in the night - and I hope I never have to!" He revealed that he is currently working on a children's book, inspired by his own children. Presumably, this new work won't feature the kind of colourful language which gave The Commitments its unique flavour. "Unless you count `bum', there's no swear words," he smiled. The author has also completed a "proper" novel which will be published in September, and is the first of a possible trilogy spanning one person's life from the beginning of the century. "I'll wait and see how the first book comes out, then I'll know if it has the legs to become a trilogy."
Soon, critics will be able to write the review without even seeing the play, thanks to a new idea by the National Theatre. Wednesday's opening at the Peacock also saw the launch of the Abbey's first ever Playscript, which incorporates the play's programme and text into one handy, paperback volume. The Abbey's new managing director, Richard Wakely, referred to it as a "playtext", which makes it sound like a brand of ladies' apparel, but the Playscript series is actually designed to support young playwrights and bring audiences abreast of new works in Irish theatre. The Passion of Jerome is the first new play to get the Playscript treatment; the next one to look out for will be Observatory, by young Armagh playwright Darragh Carville.
Also observed at the Dermot Bolger opening were former Minister for Education, Gemma Hussey and her husband Derry Hussey, poet Anthony Cronin, writer Ulick O'Connor and Colleen Bawn director Conall Morrison.