Brick Wall Theatre presents Blood On The Moon, from Ireland’s rebel to Canada’s martyr: the assassination that sparked the birth of a nation at St-John’s Theatre, Listowel on 7th July, 8pm.
On April 7th, 1868, in Ottawa, the capital of Canada, Thomas D’Arcy McGee, former Irish rebel turned famous politician is shot point blank. James Patrick Whelan, Galway-born and fellow Irish immigrant is accused of the crime, and sentenced to death after an 8-day trial.
Now, close to 150 years after his execution, Whelan still walks the streets of Ottawa as a phantom observer, determined to prove his innocence and rewrite the history books…
This play for one actor utilizes only one chair and 18 characters, with a blend of physical theatre and storytelling to create a compelling revisitation of Whelan’s trial and final days on death row.
Celebrating the close ties between Canada and Ireland, Blood on the Moon captures the fascinating history of the Irish Fenians overseas, and their role in the birth of a new nation.
Based on a true story, and written by Pierre Brault, renowned Canadian playwright and comedian, this play was originally performed for the 1999 Ottawa Fringe Festival to great success. Drawing from some of the original testimonies of Whelan’s trial, this performance gives a voice to the victim of what might have been Canada’s most famous wrongful accusation, and invites the audience to declare guilty or not guilty
Performed by Galway-based Canadian performer, Jérémie Cyr-Cooke, this performance opened at the Galway Theatre Festival, back in April, and is now undergoing a small Irish tour, stopping in Listowel on 7th July, and Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr, later in the summer.
Tickets available at the box office: 068 22566
