Temptress

By Philip St John

Premiered at Mermaid Arts Centre, Wicklow 24th Oct, The New Theatre, Dublin 26th Oct - 7th Nov 2015.

Re-staged at Viking Theatre, Clontarf, Dublin 11 - 23rd Feb; Whale Theatre, Grey Stones 9th March 2019.

Temptress is a culmination of eighteen months of collaboration, script development and rehearsed readings. With the support of Wicklow Arts, Dublin City Council, Mermaid Arts Centre and The New Theatre, as well as the incredible assistance from the wider community, the play enjoyed a successful premiere in 2015.

In 2019 the production was re-staged in the Viking Theatre and the Whale Theatre.

Reviews

The Examiner

"Under director Matthew Ralli’s expert eye pace never slackens and the rich humour in St. John’s excellent script is given full expression....Positioned as a comedy “Temptress” is right on the money. Utterly enjoyable and unrelentingly hilarious, “Temptress” is a wonderfully seductive production. The only way to resist is to yield to it." Read review

No More Workhorse

"The back and forth narrative is as tense and clever as can be expected from the award winning St John....What we have then is a play that ticks all the boxes...a masterclass production." Read review

The Reviews Hub

"Borne out of isolation, whether literal or emotional, Temptress is a darkly comic tale that explores the limits people will go in order to find happiness, or at least their perception of what happiness is. Regardless of the time of year, this 70 minute piece is an enthralling and fun way to spend an evening." Read review

Philip St John

Temptress is Philip's third play to be produced in Ireland after The Sylvia (Smock Alley Theatre) and On City Water Hill (Theatre Upstairs) both received critical acclaim. Philip is a distinctive voice in contemporary Irish playwriting and Temptress is yet another example of his unique writing style. He explains where the impetus for writing his latest play came from. "I wrote the initial draft of Temptress in August 2014. What prompted it I do not know, but I had been alone for a week - my wife Laura was down in Cork - so it is possible Pete and Noel emerged from a sense of isolation."

Collaboration

Temptress saw the company continue its long-standing collaboration with sound designer Carl Kennedy. As well as this, actor Matthew O'Brien returned after starring in The Art of Wedlock and Deeds of Deceit, Melissa Nolan provided her skills as producer and Rowena Cunningham designed costume.

In this production we welcomed actor Paul Kealyn, (both he and Matthew had proved invaluable in our rehearsed readings), as well as lighting designer Paul Doran, set designer Lisa Krugel and stage manager Jenni Little. The production also featured the original songs from Dublin based band The Magpies.

Thank You

The premiere production of Temptress was supported by Wicklow Arts, Mermaid Arts Centre, Dublin City Council and The New Theatre, as well as Wicklow Wolf Brewery and Brogans Bar. Despite this incredible support, it would have been impossible to stage the play if not for the generosity of the wider community who raised €1850 through our Fund It campaign.