July 2002 8th of March - Invisible Women - at Bank of Ireland Theatre, NUI Galway

The Bank of Ireland Theatre at NUI Galway features prominently in this year's Galway Arts Festival fringe programme. New plays written by students of the university's MA programme in Drama and Theatre Studies will be showcased throughout the Festival at one of Galway's most intimate and exciting creative spaces.

A new one act play entitled '8th OF March - Invisible Women', will be performed at the Bank of Ireland Theatre daily at 1.00 p.m. from Monday 22nd –27th July, 2002. Written and directed by Geri Slevin, it tells the story of three Irish women, Bríd Óg, Margaretta and Bernie, who are prisoners of circumstance, place and time. In the 19th century, Brid Óg was imprisoned during the Famine years and transported to Melbourne, Australia. In the 20th century Margaretta served three months in Northern Ireland's High Security Armagh Women's Prison, during the dirty protest and Bernie, is currently serving a sentence in Dublin's Mountjoy Women's Prison.

The play is performed by Finnuala Gallagher and Angela Ryan of 'dhá éan' Theatre Company, which focuses on innovative, provocative work by or about women. The company explores concepts of cultural fusion in collaboration with a diverse group of writers and directors. Other recent productions include Strange Glove (Sligo and Dublin, 2002) and Jocasta (Belltable, 2001). Geri who has worked in England, Australia, Holland and Greece, met Finnuala and Angela while undertaking a Master's in Drama and Theatre Studies this year at NUI, Galway.

8th of March – Invisible Women, was premiered earlier this year at NUI, Galway's Muscailt Arts Festival on International Women's Day. If you are looking for original and exciting theatre during this Arts Festival, don't miss this lunchtime play.

Information from: Máire Mhic Uidhir, Press Office, NUI, Galway. Tel. 091 750418