A tale of two cities, Brian Foster's Myra's Story at the Millennium Forum

An adaptation of Foster’s critically acclaimed play ‘Maire-A Woman of Derry’, ‘Myra’s Story’ which is set in the mean streets of Dublin maintains 80 percent of the original with the promise of plenty new material.

Foster’s longest running play to date, ‘Maire- A Woman of Derry has enraptured audiences for the past fifteen years with it’s self-deprecating humour and window into the rollercoaster that is addiction.

Whilst Foster insists that Maire still exists in its own right, he says the universality of the subject matter made it ideal for adaptation.

“The universal nature of addiction and homelessness has been proved in it’s reception, whether in Derry, Canada or New York. Audiences everywhere tell me the same thing, ‘That was my mother, my sister, my father or whoever on stage.’

“For that reason it was important for me to take the tale elsewhere and add to the original- I toyed with the idea of Belfast and London, but the natural progression was the gritty streets of Dublin. Myra McLaughlin maintains the feisty, foul-mouthed and rollercoaster dark humour of Maire. An amalgamation of people I’ve met and stories I’ve heard over the years, Myra shines a light on the truth of alcoholism.”

With award winning actor Fionna Hewitt-Twamley, of Cardboard Gangster fame taking the role of Myra and directed by Machine Theatre Company’s Michael Scott, Foster is excited to see what this new team will envisage and bring to the stage.

So whether Maire or Myra, Foster says the universal nature and motifs remain constant; to challenge our perceptions and open a door many of us don’t see behind.

Foster imbues tragedy with comedy and pathos and puts a human face to the public spectacle that is street drinking.

He concludes, “There is a fine line between social drinking and alcoholism- there exists a precipice each of us could fall over at any time.

“If audience take anything away it should be the realisation that ‘there but for the grace of God go I.’

The unmissable ‘Myra’s Story’ will play in Derry’s Millennium Forum from October 4-6.

Tickets are available online at millenniumforum.co.uk or from call the box office on 028 7126 4455.