Next up in our meet the team of TRYST we sat down with Clodagh Mooney Duggan who plays the role of Rachel.
Can you tell us a bit about your background in the arts?
So, my love of acting started when I was about 12 and I joined County Wexford Youth Theatre. I actually auditioned with a friend who decided not to take it up, so I went by myself which was a bit daunting at 12, and then I completely fell in love with it. And that was it. By about 14, I had decided to become an actor when I grew up and I have been in theatre ever since. I trained in the Gaiety School of Acting for 2 years, and that was wonderful, I was blessed with the most amazing class…Katie who plays Steph was one of those wonderful people in my class. We graduated in 2012 and I’ve been working as an actor since.
How long has this production been in development, can you tell us about your involvement?
I’ve been involved with it since 2016. We performed a Rehearsed Reading in Scene and Heard of Act 1. That was great, because we got to see how audiences reacted to the script in its infant phase. We then went on to do the full production in The Fringe in 2016, and we brought it to the Project this April.
Why is TRYST relevant today?
I think its relevant for a lot of reasons. It looks at people in their 20s trying to figure out what they want in their life and how to go about getting that, which in itself is a huge test in todays world. It deals with loneliness and the struggle to be heard. And it deals with gender politics which have never been higher on the public agenda, given the current political conversation.
What has been the most challenging or exciting aspect of this show for you?
The lines- no I’m joking, although the script is very quick and specific. I think as an actor it has been a huge challenge and incredibly exciting to play a character that gets trapped in a situation, both by her own doing and because she physically doesn’t leave the room, and watch her try to battle her way to be heard and to be loved. Rachel is a very open and vulnerable character. She reminds me of a little girl sometimes in her honesty and her need to feel safe. I found playing that level of vulnerability challenging. Freeing in a way, but challenging.
Who should see TRYST?
Its really a play that everyone should see, it’s a play that is so human. The characters are so flawed… throughout the play all three are right and at the same time all three are wrong. You watch 3 people in a room as their status and lives change completely in 70 minutes, all because of sexual politics, lies and the inability to see each others point because their world is on fire.
What’s next for you?
I am going to be starting rehearsals for ‘A Day in May’ in the Olympia in June. It’s a documentary style play, that is based off the book Colin Murphy wrote. The book is a series of interviews with LGBTQ members and their family and friends about the ‘Yes Equality’ referendum and how that affected their lives. So that’s really exciting! And all of the profits are going to Pieta House, so its just a lovely thing to be able to do.
TRYST
May 15-19
BOOK HERE
