Anyone who has studied plays for the State exams will know that what you get, in book form, is a drama divided into acts and scenes. Within this, stage directions will set the scene and then there is the dialogue of the actors to bring the drama to life.
But once written, what is the role of the playwright and how free are actors to interpret the written work? Usually that's up to the director to be the conduit for the wishes of the playwright - but if a theatre company is lucky, they will have the playwright in the rehearsal room to give guidance.
One of the most dynamic curators of his own work in the rehearsal process was the late playwright Tom Murphy, author of The Sanctuary Lamp, The Gigli Concert, Bailegangaire, Conversations on a Homecoming and many more classics of Irish theatre.
The Lir Academy and the Abbey Theatre have come together to run a series of masterclasses around the subject of text and interpretation, and the relationship of the playwright with actors.
Three of the participants are actors Jane Brennan, who was also the wife of Tom Murphy, Marty Rea and Cathy Belton all of whom have all acted in Murphy's work. They talk to RTÉ Arena above.
Listen to more from RTÉ Arena here.
