Lies Where It Falls
Written and Performed by Ruairi Conaghan
Written and Performed by Ruairi Conaghan
"Lies Where It Falls" is a powerful performance piece by Ruairi Conaghan that explores the legacy of the Northern Ireland 'Troubles' and the healing power of theatre, receiving critical acclaim and featuring post-show discussions on peace and reconciliation.
About The Play
About The Play
Off West End Theatre Awards Nomination for Performance Piece
FringeReview Hidden Gem
★★★★ Four Stars, The Reviews Hub
★★★★ Four Stars, Everything Theatre
★★★★ Four Stars, LondonTheatre1
★★★★ Four Stars, ReviewsGate
★★★★ Four Stars, Jadar
★★★★ Four Stars, Squirrp
When actor Ruairi Conaghan was asked to play the part of Patrick Magee who tried to assassinate Margaret Thatcher and her government in the 1984 Brighton Bomb attack, it triggered memories of an act of IRA violence upon his own family when he was a child.
On 16 September 1974, Judge Rory Conaghan was shot dead on his Belfast doorstep whilst holding his 9 year old daughter’s hand. Ruairi Conaghan is Judge Conaghan’s nephew.
After playing Magee, Ruairi’s next role was the Player King in Hamlet at the Barbican opposite Benedict Cumberbatch. It was only then that the true consequences of his decision to play Magee were revealed. Shakespeare’s words stirred up Ruairi’s memories of the murder of a loved one and the lasting trauma that flowed from it, leading to a physical and mental collapse that threatened his life. It was only the love of his family and the community of theatre that brought him back from the brink.
At a time when shocking and divisive conflicts play out before us daily and truth and reconciliation have never been more needed, Lies Where It Falls explores the legacy of the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’, and celebrates the healing powers of theatre, using song, poetry, humour, cinema and Shakespeare to tell a courageous story of recovery with life-affirming, soul-bearing honesty.
2024 marks both the 50th anniversary of the murder of Judge Conaghan, and the 40th anniversary of the Brighton Bombing.
POST SHOW DISCUSSION Tuesday 3 December 2024
Jo Berry will be interviewed by Ruairi Conaghan. Her father, Sir Anthony Berry, was killed by the Brighton Bomb, planted by Patrick Magee in 1984. This year marks the 40th anniversary of that event. In 2009 Jo Berry founded Building Bridges for Peace; a charity that promotes peace and conflict transformation around the world. Free to ticketholders for that evening’s performance.
POST SHOW DISCUSSION Tuesday 10 December 2024
Playwright and Performer Ruairi Conaghan will discuss the legacy of the Northern Island Troubles and how Lies Where It Falls relates to it with Claire Hanna MP, the Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and MP for Belfast South and Mid Down since 12 December 2019. Free to ticketholders for that evening’s performance.
POST SHOW DISCUSSION Wednesday 18 December.
Ruairi Conaghan will be in discussion with Kate Turner about the legacy of The Troubles. Kate is Director of Healing Through Remembering, an organisation which seeks to contribute to and inform public debate about the conflict in Northern Ireland, particularly through Storytelling, Truth Recovery and Acknowledgement, Commemoration, and Victim Support. https://healingthroughremembering.org/who-we-are/staff/ Free to ticketholders for that evening’s performance.
Suitability 14+
Trigger warnings Descriptions of violent death and psychological breakdown.