'Clutter' coming to Studio 2

One person’s clutter is another person’s treasure, so break a leg playwright Martin O’Brien, whose new play is all set to première in Studio 2 Arts’ Centre.

Speaking to Derry Now, Martin described ‘Clutter’ which he co-wrote with Shaun Doherty as a comedy-horror-whodunnit.

Cast members, Sean Maguire and James McLaughlin, chipped in enthusiastically saying it was “a big, live game of Cluedo”.
Martin and Shaun met at the Wednesday morning creative writing group based in Derry’s Central Library in Foyle Street.

“‘Clutter’ is my fourth play,” said Martin. “My first play was ‘Two Little Boys’, my second was ‘True Colours’ and my third was ‘Your Honour, Your Honour’.

Glen Dagda who plays 'Audrey' in a scene with Sean Maguire playing 'Peter Smellie'.

“‘Clutter’ is full of mysteries, as the tagline says ‘You’re only as sick as your secrets’. The main character, Audrey, played by Glen Dagda, has a secret and all of the other characters in the play are trying to find out a bit more about what the secret is.

“The action takes place in a rural farmyard out in the middle of nowhere. Shaun and I started off writing about two guys breaking into a house. We went all over the place with it and we ended up with Audrey, who is completely obsessed with horror movies. His mental health begins to fail and he starts turning into the characters from these films.

“Sean here is playing Peter Smellie, who has an obsession with death, so that fits right into the plot,” said Martin, trying hard not to let slip any spoilers.

“Each of the characters has their reason for being at this particular house at this particular time,” said Martin, “but nothing is revealed until the end.”

‘Clutter’, which is being directed by Gerry Newton, has a five-strong cast: Audrey (Glen Dagda), Carrie (Shelby Devine), Peter (Sean Maguire), Jimmy (James McLaughlin), and Deirdre (Helen mcLaughlin). It is being staged on Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1.

Helen McLaughlin (Deirdre) with Shelly Devine (Carrie) during 'Clutter' rehearsals.

Explaining how he became a playwright, a deadpan Martin said: “ I worked in a factory for 20 years and every factory I worked in closed down, so I ended up taxiing.

“Then, when I was 41, I did a one-year performing arts course at the North West Regional College and I loved it. I loved acting. Gradually I started doing a bit of writing up at the Playhouse and I discovered I had a talent for dialogue. It came naturally to me, especially the Derry idiom.

“‘Clutter’ took Shaun and I more than a year to complete because we did a lot of rewrites. The play is not specific to Derry. Everything lately seems to be Derry, Derry, Derry, which is great, but ‘Clutter’ is completely different. It is more of a Scooby-Doo-horror. I think it will have broad appeal and teenagers will love it.

“It is comedic but not in a nasty way. If it goes well in Studio 2, my plan would be to try and put it on in the Waterside Theatre or the Millennium Forum at Hallowe’en because it would be perfect.

Glen Dagda (Audrey) in the Greater Shantallow Community Arts production of 'Clutter'.

“I hope we get a good crowd for ‘Clutter’. The cast are all local actors, living in Derry and Studio 2 is a fantastic venue. It is a great community asset and everything we needed for the production was right here,” said Martin.

Sean Maguire, who has settled in Derry from Belfast via a Caribbean cruise ship, plays Peter Smellie in ‘Clutter’, a man obsessed with death, but not in a morbid or grim way, more a wheel of life way.

“I have a theatre-performing arts background,” said Sean. “The last time I was on stage professionally was in the Playhouse, in Martin Lynch’s play ‘We’ll walk hand in hand’.

“I met Martin through the creative writing group we are involved in. We were chatting about ‘Clutter’ one day and I came along, auditioned and got the part of Peter. It is absolutely brilliant now to be in rehearsal.

“Peter is dopey. As ‘Clutter’ unfolds, we learn he has experienced quite a lot of death. He has lost both of his parents and it seems every family member he has known has gone. However, Peter takes death to a place of humour.

“There is a brilliant scene in the play where a ouija board is found in the clutter and Peter thinks it would be a great idea to find out who everyone would invite to dinner from the dead zone. Let’s just say, this leads to a hilarious dinner table scene,” said Sean.

Sean said Peter wanted to contact and communicate with the dead.

“Peter thinks the dead are easier to talk to than the living,” laughed Sean. “His idea of a romantic date is taking someone to a wake because there is free tea and sandwiches.

“I am loving the rehearsal process because there is constant growth. It is also good fun. We have gelled really well as a cast. We are discovering wee things, testing ideas out, seeing where people laugh and where they don’t.

“It is a very enjoyable process to be part of. I am loving being creative again. It is good to be back in a play after such a long time away and doing it lightheartedly,” said Sean. “I hope the audience will enjoy ‘Clutter’ as much as we have.”

The ‘Clutter’ character, Jimmy, is played by James McLaughlin. “Jimmy is what we in Derry would call a ‘mouth’. He is really stupid and no-one likes him. I can’t imagine why Gerry recommended me to Martin,” said James with great good humour.

“Outside ‘Clutter’, most of my performing nowadays involves gigging in Bars all around the North with an acoustic guitar and a drum pedal.

“In the past, I have been very involved with the Grove Theatre Group locally. I have been doing pantos with them since I was no age and I played Kenickie in their latest production of ‘Grease’.

“I have never done a play without music before, so that was the main reason I wanted to be involved in ‘Clutter’. Sure enough, I am way, way out of my comfort zone but it is nice, in a nerve-wracking type of way.

“Essentially, Jimmy brings stupidity and sarcasm to ‘Clutter’. He’s probably not going to be the audience’s favourite character,” laughed James, who added that ‘Clutter was a very physical play.

“After covid, I hope people will enjoy getting out and seeing ‘Clutter,’” said Martin. “It is fun and silly and a great night’s entertainment.”

See ‘Clutter’ on Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1. Doors open at 7.30pm. Show begins at 8.00pm, in Studio 2, Skeoge, Derry. Tickets are available at: www.studio2derry.com/ theatre.