Theatre Interview: Ten Dates With Mad Mary
January 27th, 2010
posted by Caomhan Keane
Irish writing has developed a strong, feminine streak in the last few years with writers like Lisa Tierney-Keogh (Four Last Things), Abbie Spallen (Strandline) and Elaine Murphy (Little Gem) emerging to challenge their male counterparts in terms of both commercial and critical success. The latest lady penning her odes to Modern Ireland is Yasmine Akram, a Drogheda raised RADA graduate who has collaborated with the Calipo Theatre and Picture Company since she was fourteen years of age. She brings her one-woman show 10 Dates with Mad Mary to the Project Arts Centre this Tuesday.
It’s about “Mad” Mary McArdle whose just been released from the Joy, returning to Drogheda in time for her best friend’s wedding. Made to feel like dirt by the hens, Mary’s sets out to find a nice guy to bring as her date and prove she’s finally out run the rep that has haunted her since the age of 15.
“She’s based on the Mary’s that everybody has in his or her town.” The writer/performer tells me, squeezing me in to her busy scheadule before the show opens this week. “The girl that you were aware of, who could kick off at any moment. The best fighter, known for all the wrong things. She’s a girl from any town but she’s definitely based on people I grew up with.”
Akram shares more than a hometown with her creation. “Our sense of humor would be similar. Because the show is quite comedic some of the jokes that she makes are quite similar to ones I would make in certain situations.” But that’s where the similarities end though. “She is much more fiery and angry than I am and speaks her mind a lot more. I’m a little bit more scared of people than Mary is. Also, she’s got dyed blond hair, loads of rings, a tracksuit and a tattoo. “
So this isn’t a wardrobe she’s going to fight to keep after the show? “God no. It will be ‘chuck it in the bin, I’m done!’”
Akram found her voice at RADA devising different sketches in class. She found writing the roles she wanted gave her the opportunity to play parts she wouldn’t necessarily get if she just walked in off of the street. “When I left college I found myself in the position where I didn’t have a very specific casting bracket. I really love comedy. So I married the two and created roles that others wouldn’t naturally cast me in.”
It’s paid off. Once Mary finishes she’s straight into rehearsals for a show she has devised with her writing partner which is headed for the Edinborough Fringe. It’s to be directed by the big impressionist Alistair Mcgowan.
“It’s a new partnership. Two best mates mucking around .The way it worked before was that I would do the writing and she would do the pieces and then she kind of said to me ‘I would really like to stop being the Julie Walters and start being the French and Saunders.’ It was a good move and it’s worked out really well.”
Mary was a huge learning curve for the young performer and she hopes to develop as an all round writer in the future. “I write comedy primarily, I look for the joke in situation. Darren (Thornton, the director) taught me a lot about plot and structure and while I’m focused on comedy right now I think when I’m a little older, a little wiser, I’ll try and do some drama as well.
Ten Dates With Mad Mary runs from 26 January 2010 - 31 January 2010 at the Project Arts Centre
Tags: abbie spallen, alistair mcgowan, darren thornton, elaine murphy, four last things, lisa tierney-keogh, little gem, rada, ten dates with mad mary
