“Her brain, nimble and observant as it was, could not yet keep pace with a tongue so caustic that even her native city was a little in awe of her” Micheál MacLiammóir on Mary Manning in his memoir, All For Hecuba.

Join Dr Cathy Leeney and Dr Fergal Whelan and panel chair Dr Tanya Dean for a post-show discussion exploring the work of Mary Manning and the cultural context in which she wrote Youth’s the Season – ?. This conversation will delve into Manning’s contributions to Irish theatre, while also reflecting on the broader historical trend of female playwrights being overlooked in the literary canon. Together, they will consider how Manning’s legacy can be revived and celebrated, and explore how her work connects with ongoing efforts to elevate the voices of women in theatre today.

This discussion will take place after the performance of Youth’s the Season -? on the 23 of April and is free to attend for everyone at the show that evening.

Speakers 

Dr Cathy Leeney is currently Adjunct Assistant Professor in Drama Studies in the University College Dublin (UCD) School of English, Drama, and Film where she taught and supervised for over twenty years and where, with Finola Cronin, she co-founded UCD’s MA in Theatre Practice. Cathy trained as a director with the British Theatre Association in London and has directed and assistant directed professional productions in Dublin and Belfast. Recent publications include Irish Women Playwrights 1900–1939 and in 2023 co-editing Analysing Gender in Performance  and The Plays of Maura Laverty. She has also published on gender in performance, and women’s work in Irish theatre.

Dr Feargal Whelan is a Visiting Research Fellow and occasional lecturer at Trinity College Dublin. He has published and presented widely on the works of Samuel Beckett and on twentieth century Irish drama. He collaborates regularly with Mouth on Fire theatre company and has provided introductory lectures for numerous theatrical productions. He scripted and contributed to a number of television documentaries, and has also authored chapters in various academic collections and journals. He has edited The Beckett Circle, the official publication of the Samuel Beckett Society, for the past ten years.

Dr Tanya Dean is a Lecturer in Drama and Programme Coordinator for the B.A. (Hons) in Drama (Performance) in the Technological University Dublin Conservatoire. She completed her Doctor of Fine Arts with Yale School of Drama in 2016, where she also received her Master of Fine Arts in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism in 2011. Tanya has worked extensively as a freelance dramaturg on numerous scripts, workshops and productions in Ireland, the UK, the USA, and Iceland. Tanya is a board member for Rough Magic Theatre Company, and from 2015-2017, Tanya served as a committee member for #WakingTheFeminists, and was a Research Associate on the report, Gender Counts: An Analysis Of Gender In Irish Theatre 2006-15. From 2020 to 2021, Tanya served as one of the judges for the Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards. She is currently the Script Associate for the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s national theatre.