RAISED in The Sandmall and writing all her life, Mae Leonard returns to Limerick on Friday 20 with a one-woman show (almost), high on her profile achieved through ‘Sunday Miscellany’, RTE Radio 1.
“If I can make people laugh, I will,” this 75 year-old tells Arts page. “The hardest thing in the world to write is comedy, yet is has none of the respect of other works. On the ‘Evening with Mae Leonard’ there will be a bit of singing, music – mostly classical guitar – and readings are professionally done”.
She has screenwriter/ actor Neill Donnelly directing the two hours, Mae sharing with performers John Martin and Sarah Goodwin who engage in dialogue while she is entertainer and seanchaoí.
“There’s a lot from ‘Sunday Miscellany’, most in fact and some from the religious ‘The Living Word’ from whom I did a run of programmes on being 70.
“It’s unique that someone of my vintage is making their theatre debut now”.
She chuckles but takes the challenge seriously. Taught in St Mary’s School, her works have won fine awards: The C. Day-Lewis for Poetry and again for Short Story; The Gerard Manly Hopkins Poetry Award, The Golden Pen among them.
“I have so many only because I am old. I have a list as long as my arm”. Again, she laughs and it’s likely that she will bring us with her in picaresque fashion on Friday November 20 at 69 O’Connell Street. 8pm.
