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Friday 16 March 2012

Buridan's Ass Straddles the Atlantic

   Some years ago I wrote a short play about a failed taxidermist (what else?). It was called “Buridan's Ass” and premiered in Bewley's Café Theatre, Dublin. Thanks to the brilliant direction of Michael James Ford and the inspired performances of Arthur Riordan and Frank Bourke it was enjoyed by audiences in Dublin and Limerick, and also in Scotland where it was performed at the Òran Mór Theatre in Glasgow. Michael recently sent a script to Emma Gibson of TINY DYNAMITE in Philadelphia and I was delighted to learn that Emma would be producing Buridan's Ass along with the dynamic IRON AGE THEATRE COMPANY. It will be directed by John Doyle, with Steve Hatzai in the role of Mahone and Adam Altman as Mahone's assistant, Ernest Blades.

   The byline is as follows;

   “Ever since an aquarium explosion forced him to choose between running to the aid of his stricken girlfriend and saving the life of a floundering turbot, Mahone the taxidermist has suffered from Buridan's Ass Syndrome – a fear of making decisions.”

   It's an autobiographical piece though obviously I played down certain aspects.


This is the inside-out badger that features prominently in the denouement of the denouement



Buridan's Ass will be performed at

The Red Room, Society Hill Playhouse,

Philadelphia, PA

March 27th and 28th, 6:30 – 7:30 pm


I will be doing a “talk-back” after the opening performance, but don't let that prevent you from turning up.