Drama at the Linenhall Theatre, Castlebar:
Wednesday 9th May @ 8.00pm
Helen Brett Productions - Three Women
Tickets €12, Concessions €10

Helen Brett's curiosity about other people’s lives led her to discover the tremendous tales of three women during World War II. World War 11 changes the lives of three 'ordinary' women: Jeannette, a Dutch woman interned by the Japanese in Java; Erika, a German woman in Hitler’s Germany and Ronnie, an Australian woman in the Women’s Army, who all come to live in Perth’s western suburbs. The war brings these women hardship, loss, liberation and camaraderie, their stories are funny, tragic, revealing and heart warming. Their vastly different experiences become linked through this poignant and humorous play from Australia, dealing with universal themes of love and family and difficult moral choices. Three Women is written and directed by Mayo-born émigrée Helen Brett, who has been involved with theatre in Perth for many years. This production features Australian actresses Nandi Chinna, Trish Farrell and Anna Bennetts. The play toured Western Australia in 2005, and this performance forms part of its premiere Irish tour.

"If a play’s success is measured by how much people are moved by the content, Helen’s production will do extraordinarily well in Ireland." - Danielle O’Leary, Irish Scene
"...this powerful play..." - Theatre Australia

From the organising committee for the Irish Premiere of the successful Australian play ‘Three Women’ by Helen Brett:

Everyone you meet has a story worth telling.  The curiosity of Mayo born Helen Brett about other people’s lives led her to three women in Perth, West Australia, who told her tremendous stories about their experiences during World War 11.

The result:  Three Women, True Life Tales of World War 11, a play which Helen has written and directed and is now bringing on tour with her cast from Australia to the West of Ireland in May 2007.  This is verbatim theatre, where the three actresses use the actual words of the Dutch, the German and the Australian woman to re-enact their wartime experiences.

'It touches a chord with many people' Helen said, 'because it concerns the lives of real people, Jeanette, a young Dutch woman interned by the Japanese in Java with her two-year old daughter,  Erika,  a girl growing up in Hitler’s Germany,  and Ronnie, an Australian woman in the Australian Women’s Army.  The German woman and the Dutch woman both immigrated to Perth after the war.   In the play the women's original words are used by the actors to tell the hidden stories about the war that you don’t read about in history books.'

Three Women  appeals to all ages.  In Western Australia its popularity has spread by word of mouth.  Helen feels confident that Three Women  will appeal to Irish audiences as well, because it deals with universal themes of love and family and difficult moral choices.  'In particular the German woman's story is valuable as it gives a perspective on life in Nazi Germany that we don't normally see.  It's a moving play and stirs many emotions.  However, the audience gets to have a few laughs as well, especially with the Australian woman’s story.’

Helen, a native of Swinford, Co. Mayo worked for eleven years at the National University of Ireland, Galway, before emigrating to Australia in 1984 with husband, Tom, and daughters, Sarah and Deirdre. Helen’s NUIG colleagues have formed an Irish Tour Committee to promote the play. Chairperson Anne Quinn comments, 'It is a unique opportunity for  former graduates, writer’s groups, women’s  groups,  human rights groups,   drama & literary groups to make the viewing of this play the  social event for 2007'.  Working alongside Anne are  Rosaleen Carroll, Mary Cooke,  Catherine Lyons,  Heather Murphy and Elizabeth Walsh. 

Helen has considerable experience in writing and producing plays in Perth and is looking forward to presenting her play in the West of Ireland. The Irish tour for Three Women starts off with a gala opening at the Town Hall, Galway, on Friday 4 May, followed by performances on Inis Oírr (Áras Éanna (May 6th),  in Linen Hall, Castlebar (May 9th), Ballinasloe Town Hall (May 11th),  Ballina Arts Centre (May 17th)  and Charlestown Arts Centre (May 18th).    It will be for one performance only in the Town Hall, so don’t miss this unique opportunity to come and see this  play. Bookings have now opened at the Town Hall Theatre - 091 569777,so don’t delay.  Book now.  Tickets €15/10.
Details:  Anne Quinn ph 087 7548741   /  Helen Brett  087 3201525