Fly Me To The Moon
By Marie Jones
Millennium Forum – Wed 20th Feb
“Fizzes with comic energy’.” The Belfast News Letter
Written and directed by Marie Jones, the Olivier Award winning author of Stones In His Pockets, Fly Me To The Moon is a hilarious comedy that has been hailed as “desperately funny” by the New York Daily News. It arrives at the Millennium Forum on Wednesday 20th February for one night only.
Francis and Loretta are community care visitors. Davey, one of their elderly charges, has had a significant win on the horses, but he doesn’t know. When the cash-strapped women learn that Davey will not be around for a considerable time they are faced with a mouth-watering dilemma.
Marie Jones is the author of some of the most successful plays ever produced in Ireland. This hilarious comedy investigates whether we are valued more in life or in death.
It’s not until you speak with Marie Jones that you realise just how funny and utterly contemporary this play really is. Although written quite a few years ago, based in the setting of a care home, this is very real, very now, and so very funny.
Earlier today I spoke with Marie prior to her flying off to Stockholm. Mind you I wouldn’t be fancying that flight in Storm Erika today!! However, Marie very kindly took time to speak with me about Fly Me To The Moon and it’s forthcoming trip to Derry.
Just how did the idea for this production come about I wanted to know? “Two actresses actually approached me”, said Marie. “They were two very funny ladies and I’d worked with them before. They asked me to write a play for them as there was very little at the time for women. So we went off to our writing retreat in Co. Monaghan and the idea for Fly Me To The Moon resulted. My mother was in a care home at that time, so the idea was there, and this came up.”
Being around the care home scenario at present myself with a family member I’m only too aware of how hard care workers do indeed work. Marie and I got talking about such and she said, “The staff in these homes don’t have time to talk as they are so busy. My family and I made a point of talking with them and they enjoyed our visits. They have such a big job and they don’t have time to stimulate the soul of the mind. We helped by engaging with them on our visits there.”
I’m only too aware of the work, the difficulties and the constant work that these workers do. Marie agrees, that they do indeed “need a laugh.” This is exactly what this play is doing. It’s bringing a lighter side to a very serious subject matter. Marie Jones says her job is “to entertain with a very serious subject matter.”
Fly Me To The Moon has toured extensively and has been translated into a number of languages, including, Icelandic, Finish, Sweedish. It has toured regularly in Canada and is still being widely received universally.
Before her flight I needed to know just why they went with the title of ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ for the show? “All we know about the character of Davy is his name and that he loved Frank Sinatra and horses. So Fly Me To The Moon seemed a good choice to go with!!”
This sounds like a wonderfully therapeutic show and it’s on at the Millennium Forum on Wed 20th Feb. Tickets are now available from the Box Office. Telephone 71 264455 or visit millenniumforum.co.uk for bookings.
GMcC
North West Culture Gal 