Dear Frankie: show featuring agony aunt of the airwaves

Date Published: 07-Apr-2011

Mention two words, Dear Frankie, to anyone aged forty or over in this country and something predictable happens. They start to sing the signature tune to Frankie Byrne’s iconic radio show, The Women’s Page. For over twenty years, Frankie ruled supreme on the airwaves on matters amorous.

Now her life, both on air and off, where she had her fill of personal tragedies, has been brought to life in a new theatrical production from Five Lamps Theatre Company. The result is a show which is a beautiful pen picture of the changes in Irish society over the past forty years. It plays at Galway’s Town Hall Theatre from Thursday, April 21, to Saturday, April 23.

In an era without internet, without dedicated self-help book sections in the bookshop, where the Librarian knew your Mother so you couldn’t borrow that book, information was pretty hard to come by. Luckily, there was Frankie Byrne. The play celebrates the eclectic life and times of Ireland’s first radio agony aunt. The various and authentic problems written to her and heard throughout the play offer a fascinating insight into the hang-ups, concerns and sorrows of Ireland in the ’60s and ’70s.

Nuala Hayes plays the title role of Frankie in the show and the cast also features Donagh Deeney and Dorothy Cotter. And of course, like Frankie’s own radio programme, the score features a selection of Frank Sinatra numbers throughout. There is hilarity in the show and moments of deep despair. And always there is empathy, as Frankie reaches out to everyone who comes her way and everyone who starts off their handwritten letter with the words; Dear Frankie…

As a final enticement, there is a special ticket offer of €10 for seniors!

Booking is now open at the Town Hall Theatre on 091-569777 or on the web at www.tht.ie.