A PRODUCTION company working on a musical theatre piece scheduled for the Lime Tree theatre at Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) in December is on the hunt for Limerick’s oldest lady to share her stories.
John McIlDuff and Brian Irvine of production company Dumbworld, who received funding from Limerick City of Culture to write, compose and direct the show, are hoping to base part of the story around the life of Limerick’s oldest woman.
According to project researcher Maria Larkin, the production will take inspiration from the people of Limerick as a whole, including people the writers have stopped to speak to on the street, as well as Facebook and Twitter posts.
“The project really is about writing a piece that involves the community and if we come across some people who would be willing to come up on stage or sing along the way, then all the better,” she explained.
“The feedback we’ve been getting has been amazing and it’s so lovely to hear some of the old Limerick stories. At the moment, we have some details about a few ladies in Limerick who are in their early 100s and we are trying to make contact with them.”
The writers are also seeking stories from women in all age groups.
“We’re also trying to compile a collection of tidbits of information about other ladies in our city in every age group”, Ms Larkin said.
“Maybe someone in their 60s recalling their favourite moment in life. Or a lady in her 70s who can recall a definitive moment. Or ladies in their 80th or 90th years who could say something small about the saddest or most life-changing moment they’ve had.
“As little as three sentences can make for some compelling stories and possible lyrics”, she added.
Anyone wishing to share their stories or information can contact Maria Larkin at [email protected].
