Presented by Biscuits for Breakfast (Premiere)

Tuesday, 3rd May - Saturday, 7th May (by Blair Fell, Director: Sharon Sexton)
Andrews Lane Theatre at 8.15pm. Tickets 12 euro

Oscar Wilde's short story 'The Portrait of Mr W.H.' reveals the enigmatic identity of Shakespeare's muse to actually be a pretty-boy actor by the name of Willie Hughes. Wilde suffered a severe backlash for his views on Shakespeare's true sexuality and was scorned for distorting the face of the one who was more temperate than a summer's day, from a beautiful young women, to that of a teenage boy! Now Biscuits for Breakfast have decided to team up with Mr Wilde to join in on the infamous debate of 'Mr William Shakespeare's sexuality'. This promises to be, at the very least, a unique and entertaining production, especially if the reviews from last year are anything to go by!

About The Company

It's an unlikely combination of wheat, butter, actors, chocolate, drama teachers and caramel(oh god, you've got to have the caramel) that makes up Biscuits for Breakfast, one of Dublin's newest drama companys.

The company came together in March 2004 when offered the opportunity to put on a show in The First International Gay Theatre Festival and chose Jonathan Harvey's Hushabye Mountain as the first play which they would cut their producing teeth on.

The story was based around a group of twenty somethings, who were not really sure where they were going, and were struggling to find their feet and make some sense of the world around them. It therefore was the perfect debut for a young up and coming company to make.

However this year the company, which has been nurtured and developed under the watchful eyes of co-founders Sharon Sexton and Cillian O' Donnachadha, have decided to take the plunge and turn their attention to a more substantial, risque and challenging subject. They have chosen to take on the task of staging the European(!) premier of Blair Fell's Naked Will, which is based on our own countryman Oscar Wilde's short story "The Portrait of W.H."

Biscuits for Breakfast, have decided to team up with Mr. Wilde, to join in on the infamous debate of "Mr. William Shakespeare's sexuality!"

This promises to be, at the very least, a unique and entertaining production, especially if the reviews from last year are anything to go by - "The packed audience roared its approval, and the plaudits were well deserved. A production company to watch!".

Cast & Crew

Derek McDonnell : Shakespeare
Helen Langford : Rose / Marlowe
Jason Nelson : Oscar Wilde
Vinny Moran : Erskine / Burbage
Sharon Sexton : Co-Director / Co-Founder
Cillian O' Donnachadha : Co-Director / Co-Founder

Show Reviews

"Biscuits for Breakfast opened the festival in style with the European premiere of Blair Fell's 'Naked Will'. Based on the pursuit by many of the true inspiration for William Shakespeare's sonnets, the theory that it is a boy actor named William Hughes is taken up by none other than Oscar Wilde, in a very cleverly constructed, and well researched piece. The style plaudits are largely due to the opulent costumes by Joe Redmond – which belied the "fringe setting". Cillian O Donnachdha played a young Wilde to good effect, not necessarily a convincing Oscar, but providing the energy that kept the production flowing at a brisk pace. Vinny Moran in a myriad of roles from Erskine to Burbage (man in tights) was very entertaining and showed his considerable versatility to great effect. Feinne's lookalike Derek McDonnell played Will Shakespeare with great empathy. Not always the convincing wordsmith – he had an appeal and sensitivity that would draw all sexes to him. Helen Langford was a powerhouse of energy and versatility, from the shopkeeper, to Rose, to her wonderful cameo as Marlowe. This basqued character packed a big punch for one so petite. Androgenous Darren Mc Cormack showed good comic and dramatic timing and well placed emotional volatility in playing the object of all their desires, the elusive boy actor William Hughes. This was a brave and effective performance from an intelligent young actor. Directors Sharon Sexton and Cillian O Donnachdha did justice to this challenging piece. My main flaw was that the language did not sit naturally with some of these characters who after all were masters of the English language. "Irishisms" like soft d's and t's did peek through and the mix of properties from period to modern worked mostly, though Oscar's clicking pen was out of character. Movement and lighting in the portrait was a little clumsy at times. This innovative choice would have challenged most companies. Biscuits for Breakfast were worthy European premieres of a work and a production that Blair Fell should be proud of. I look forward to seeing even more from this emerging company – they are becoming a safe bet for a good night's theatre. " - Gordon Farrell, Scene City - June 2005.