I am delighted to say that I have received some critical feedback on some of my writing. Once again it is from Fishamble, the New Play Company and once again, I am delighted to receive it and the time taken to review it is much appreciated. Fishamble are an award-winning Irish theatre company that specialises in producing new plays. Based in Dublin, Fishamble is known for its commitment to developing and showcasing contemporary Irish writing and supporting playwrights at all stages of their careers. Although they themselves will not be pursuing it as a project, I hope it will once again give my writing some invaluable exposure
The Play critiqued this time is called “The Con Trilogy” which is a novel and epic play where three one-act plays that can be performed individually are combined to make a single three-act full length play. The central theme throughout the three plays is people needing to hide their true character for either good or bad reasons.
The first play, “The Cast”, is set in a small theatre dressing room as an amateur dramatic group prepares to perform a one-act play in a drama competition.
The second play is that one-act that they perform and is called “The Cheat”. This is set in the office of a devious businessman.
The third play is called “The Catch” and is once again set in the drama group dressing room. It tells the story of the aftermath of the amateur groups’ performance.
All three plays are full of twists and excitement as the plots unfold, and the true characters are revealed. The “Con” Trilogy caters for a large casts size where some actors will get the opportunity to play multiple personalities and take on the challenge of multiple personas with a single epic play. Some characters play across more than one play/Act.
Total Characters – 14 Male – 9 Female
FEEDBACK
THE CON TRILOGY is a story of a defeated group of newfound thespians navigating putting on their performance without a director and after their driving-force convict producer, John King, gets arrested before the curtain rises. Told by a large ensemble, the group faces adversity of inner challenges on performing through the nerves and a life-and-death situation involving a mysterious drug deal after their play is completed. During their play, “The Cheat,” the brutality between a scandalous Managing Director and employees, in acts of sexual assault and fraud, mirrors the injustice and triumph within the ensemble’s reality when the competing producer, Max Burke, unleashes the drug exchange and his true role as drug dealer. Once the police arrive, we learn that John is not a devoted producer, nor a conman, but an undercover operative with the drug squad, using the drama group as a cover to orchestrate the bust. The push and pull of trust between the characters and their relationships to their own gut feelings is laden with consistent tension as a motif, causing the audience to question who exactly they should believe. Comedic lines of dialogue bring a spark to the characters, one that is felt especially through Maria and Knocker. The use of the inner play performance seems justified in its role as a foil to the ensemble’s circumstances and reference to how “escapism is the greatest form of reality.”
In terms of further development, you could consider building up to or expanding John’s moments of revelations of existence on and off-stage in tandem with the universe, such as when he mentions the greater producer in control of things and points to the sky in the ending. Further, adding a more solid explanation as to why the drug dealers chose to exchange in the dressing room and not somewhere more secluded may help the audience fully understand the context and stakes. You might also explore having more speculation within the ensemble on how their performance went or their future goals of performing during the clash with the drug dealers, or circle back when the conflict is resolved. We wish you the very best as you move forward with this work.