10 Dates With Mad Mary

Mad Mary has just returned to small town Drogheda having served a prison sentence for assault. Recognised wherever she goes as ‘Mad Mary’ she does not have high hopes for finding a nice young man to accompany her to her best friend’s wedding and so it is she embarks on ’10 dates’ in the hope that she might save face and rebuild some self-esteem.

This is a story of boredom and prejudice in a small town, of self-preservation and a search for love, and ultimately of individual courage to break free from the stereotype assumed for her by the community. This is Yasmine Akram’s first full length play and she bills it as a ‘romantic comedy (sort of)’ which it ‘sort of‘ is.  Caoilfhionn Dunne delivers a convincing solo performance as Mary, despite being so attractive and, in some ways, such a likeable a character.

– Margaret Scott