Tales from the Northside

‘The Reading’ by Helen McNamara.
This play examines the position of a so-called ‘common law wife’ when it comes to wills and the law. This radio play examines the plight of such a woman and how she can be cast aside despite caring for a man whom she loved and was mot his wife in legal terms. It graphically portrays the raw greed of some people when property is involved. This a bleak look at the nasty side of life.

‘Poodles’ by Denis Byrne
This play explores the haphazard effort of young drug addict aided by his hapless girlfriend from well-to-do families to rob a small cafe to get money to feed their habit. The play breaks through the veneer of respectability and what goes on in these families. However, the cafe owner, whose own nephew died from drugs, saves the day by forcing the young man to fight his demons, re-discover his artistic abilities and start on the road to recovery.

‘Black Monday’ by Henry Hudson.
This is a most unusual play as the main characters are presented by the voices of a bowler hat worn by a stockbroker and a greasy cap worn by a down and out. The play is set in 1987 and examines the destruction of the stockbroker by the utter collapse of the stock markets. This is a bleak look back at that time, which was never supposed to happen again. But it reflects, in an ironic way, of what is happening in the current turmoil on stock markets today.

This programme was made with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland