As for the play itself, riveting on two levels. As a play it stands on its own as being powerful, poignant, dramatic. The acting is top notch. On a different level it has a personal impact. I was a student in the fall of 1972. Through my university, I had the opportunity to take a “January Study” course, “Society In Conflict”. That January, 1973 I stayed with a family in Creggan Heights, Derry, an area that was a staunchly Nationalist sector that was under essentially martial law, with constant British patrols on the alert. Derry City looked more like a bombed out war zone in 1973 than the colorful, inviting and beautiful city it is today (though there are murals that starkly reveal deep divisions remain to this day). I ended up returning to Derry in the summer of 1974 (staying with Patrick O’Donnell and his family; Patrick was one of the 14 wounded on “Bloody Sunday”) as part of a youth program taking Catholic and Protestant children in Derry, day trips outside the city, for a chance to just be kids. Given what was taking place at the time, we had to alternate days. We would take the Catholic children over the border to Donegal. The following day we would take the Protestant children to coastal towns like Portrush or Portstewart. This experience also gave me a wonderful opportunity to meet community individuals seeking to reach out to both communities impacted by the conflict.

As I said, this play stands on its own merit and is a powerful presentation. For those who experienced the “Troubles” directly from those days, the play captures brilliantly the passions of the times which can have a long reach into the present for those directly involved.

This play will remain with you long after the actors take their well deserved bows.