Michael Lessac and Owen McCafferty in new post-conflict Belfast play
Belfast playwrightÌý is working on a new piece with the director of . The American director spent six years creating a drama around the interpreters at South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation committee. A far cry from hisÌýprevious work, which included sitcoms like Everyone loves Raymond and Taxi.Ìý
In our own Belfast taxi, heading up to meet Michael and Owen, I wonder is this going to be Northern Ireland's Truth and Reconciliation play?Ìý
Truth in Translation came to Belfast three years ago for the Belfast Festival at Queen's. Michael was introduced to Owen by festival director Graeme Farrow. Fifteen minutes after meeting each other, Michael told me today that he and Owen shook hands and agreed to work with each other on a play set in Belfast.Ìý
When I walk intoÌýthe rehearsal room in the church hall of All Souls Church on Elmwood Avenue I see a who's who of local acting talent. Stuart Graham, Frankie McCafferty, Packie Lee, Nuala McKeever, Niall Cusack, Alan McKee - just some of the actors who, for the past few weeks, have been meeting Michael and Owen for probably the most difficult acting experience of their lives. There will be 11 in the cast, including musicians. Music is a key part Michael says, with three local composers being commissioned to write new music.
There's no script (as yet - Owen and Michael are heading to Paris this weekend to work on it) but they've all been developing the idea of a play set in Belfast post-conflict. But any reservations I may have about yet another play dealing with our troubled past are soon punctured by Owen. He's in flying form, the ideas for the play coming to him as he watches Michael at work with the actors, unsure of where this drama is going to go, yes it's Belfast, yes it's contemporary times, but he says "if it turns out to be a love story then that's what it'll be".Ìý
So over the next few months Owen is drafting a script, Michael will be working with the composers and then the proper rehearsal period begins. The idea then is to tour to some ex-conflict zones around the world before premiering at the Belfast Festival in 2011.Ìý
I tease Owen about heading to Paris to write it. He just tells me I'm jealous. He's right!Ìý
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