Derry performers to take to the stage for Pride Monologues

The event promises to be an evening full of zany, wild, moving, radical, thought provoking, tear jerking and side-splitting words and wonderings. It will take place on Thursday 24th August at 8pm in The Derry Playhouse, produced by Sole Purpose Productions in association with Foyle Pride.

Mel Bradley is a member of the Foyle Pride Committee and will be acting as MC for the night. She said: “We are delighted to be working with Sole Purpose again for this wonderful event. Sole Purpose has a long history of supporting Foyle Pride and the LGBTQIA+ community.

“Events like this are so important for the LGBTQIA+ community. We tell stories to see ourselves and when we can’t see ourselves represented in the stories that we see on stage and screen then we don’t know where we fit in the world. Events like this offer positive representation and validate us. Its going to be a heart-warming and celebratory evening. Get your tickets!”

There will be a number of writers and performers taking part in the event including Gemma Walker Farren, Taryn de Vere, Cat Brogan, Rosie Patton, Martin McConnellogue and many others. Sole Purpose has run the ‘monologues’ many times over the years as fundraisers for Foyle Pride. The idea comes from The Vagina Monologues, a play by Eve Ensler, which explores consensual and non-consensual sexual experiences, body image and several other topics through the eyes of women with various ages, races, sexualities, and other differences. Artistic Director of Sole Purpose, Patricia Byrne, said: “We started off with The Vagina Monologues many years ago. Then one year we wanted to include a monologue by a trans woman, there weren’t any in The Vagina Monologues, so we decided to do The Muff Monologues, which is our own home grown version ofThe Vagina Monologues where the performers write their own pieces. These were very successful events with packed houses and lots of laughter. For the 30th Anniversary year of Foyle Pride, we decided to do The Pride Monologues. The rehearsals have been going really well with many new writers and performers coming forward to share their work. It’s going to be a really brilliant night!”

Martin McConnellogue, well known local activist on the Foyle Pride Committee, and former UNISON LGBT+ Coordinator, said: “I am really looking forward to this and sharing the stage with some icons of the LGBTQIA+ community.”

Lizzie Devlin, Community Arts Development Officer, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, core funder of Sole Purpose, said: “The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is delighted to support Sole Purpose Productions’ The Pride Monologues, thanks to The National Lottery players. The Pride Monologues marks 30 years of Foyle Pride, bringing writers and performers together at the wonderful Playhouse in celebration of the local LGBTQIA+ community. Congratulations to all involved.”

The Pride Monologues is on Thursday 24th August 8pm in The Derry Playhouse, tickets are £7 suggested donation. Tickets are available on Eventbrite at the following link https://bit.ly/3DaOmvj or can be paid on the door. For more information contact Patricia Byrne on [email protected]