O'Reilley's Riot

Céad Míle Fáilte - Irish Greeting

Last night we had the first dress rehearsal for O'Riley's Riot, the play Susan and I will be performing in for St. Patrick's Day. Unfortunately, due to an important meeting regarding Sarah's dance team, Susan couldn't attend. But the rest of the cast had a very nice run-through and everyone's looking forward to going live on the 14th and 17th.

May neighbours respect you,

Trouble neglect you,

The angels protect you,

And heaven accept you.

Irish Blessing

The scripted portion of the play is rather short, about a half hour, but we will be on stage, as it were, for somewhere around two to three hours. I guess you could call what we're doing dinner theatre, because we'll be performing while the guests are eating, but it's actually a bit more than that. Our aim is to create the feel of a secret potato party during the Irish famine of the 1860s. From the hushed manner we greet the guests at the door, demanding a password, to the playful way we engage them during dinner, we're going to attempt to bring the audience back in time.

It's no use boiling your cabbage twice. - Irish Proverb

Even the dinner will be part of the props. The main course is corned beef and cabbage with lumpers (potatoes) on the side. There will be cheese blocks and bread at each table and the serving wenches will be passing out water and coffee. Actually, all of the people, with the exception of O'Riley himself, will take part in the serving. This will provide us the opportunity to share a limerick or a wee bit of Irish wisdom with the people.

There are only three kinds of Irish men who don't understand women: young men, old men, and those of middle age. - Irish Saying

We have a three piece band, a jig performing bard, and more Irish wit and wisdom than a convention of Leprechauns. There will even be a special appearance by the Molly McQuires. And let me tell you, a homiler bunch of faux-women has never been assembled. I wish everyone reading this could attend, but for those of you who can't, Susan and I will be sure to regale the highlights, and lowlights, in a couple of weeks.

Wherever you go and whatever you do,

May the luck of the Irish be there with you.

Irish Blessing

And if you're wondering about the meaning of the greeting at the top of this entry, Céad Míle Fáilte - well don't you have the luck of the Irish, because I'm about to tell you. It means one hundred thousand welcomes in Irish and is a fairly common greeting in Ireland to this day.

There was a young lady of Trent,

Who said that she knew what it meant

When men asked her to dine

With cocktails and wine,

She knew, oh she knew! But she went.