New drama at Druid

PONDLING, a winner at last year’s Dublin’s Fringe Festival and a nominee for the 2014 Stewart Parker award, will be staged at Druid’s Mick Lally theatre from next Thursday, April 17 to Saturday, April 19.

The play, from Dublin company Gúna Nua Theatre was written and is performed by Genevieve Hulme-Beaman, who won Best Female Performer at the 2013 Fringe Festival.

Since writing this play, she has been compared to playwrights of the calibre of Enda Walsh and Conor McPherson for her creation of a lonely little girl with a skewered world view.

The Irish Times called Pondling ‘a glittering gem’, while its producers describe it as “a story of love, beauty, chicken-chasing, daisy chains, cat-killing, singing, dress-wearing, ensuite bathrooms and a day at the pond”.

Genevieve, who trained in the Gaiety School of Acting, has previously worked with Gúna Nua, playing the part of Amber in Little Gem, which toured nationally and travelled to Australia. Other roles include Lydia Bennet in Pride and Prejudice at the Gate, Kate Hardcastle in Smock Alley ’s She Stoops to Conquer and Edie in Pillow Talk Theatre Company’s Heroin(e) for Breakfast.

Pondling is at Druid in advance of plans to bring it further afield this Summer. It’s on at 8pm from next Thursday to Saturday. Tickets are €15/12. Booking at Mick Lally: http://www.druid.ie/whats-on or phone 091 569777