Jimmy Murphy: Two Plays: Kings of the Kilburn High Road; Brothers of the Brush

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In the mid 1970's a group of young men left their homes in the West of Ireland, took the boat out of dublin Bay and sailed across the sea to England in the hope of making their fortunes and returning home. Twenty five years later only one, Jackie Flavin, makes it home, but does so in a coffin. The play takes place on the day that the winners and losers of the group meet up to drink to Jackie Flavin's memory and looks at their lives, lost in their dreams and their place in the new Ireland. The Kings of the Kilbum High Road was performed at the Tivoli Theatre, Dublin. It opens at the Tricycle Theatre, London in March 2001. Brothers of the Brush, first published in 1996, won the award for best new play when performed at the Dublin Theatre Festival, 1993. Jimmy Murphy has written a subtle, unsentimental lament for the working class in which a group of decorators, working together on a old house, misuse each other for their own advantage.

Author Bio

Jimmy Murphy's plays for the Abbey Theatre include Brothers of the Brush, 1993 (winner of the Dublin Festival Best new play award.) A Picture of Paradise 1997, and The Muesli Belt, 2000 Other works include Aceldama, 1998, The Kings of the Kilburn High Road, 2000 (2001 Tricycle Theatre, London) The Castlecomer Jukebox,(2004) for Red Kettle and What's left of the Flag, 2010 Theatre Upstairs @ The Plough, (nominated for Best New Play, 2010 Irish Theatre awards.) In 2008 an Irish language feature film version of The Kings of the Kilburn High Road; Kings, was Ireland's official entry into the Best foreign language Oscars category and a subsequent postage stamp was issued in its honour. He is former writer in residence at NUI, Maynooth, a member of the Abbey Theatre's Advisory Council and a recipient of three Bursaries in literature from the Arts Council/An ChomhairleEalaion. In 2004 he was elected a member of Aosdana, the affiliation of Irish artists. In September 2011 Focus Theatre will premiere his new play The Hen Night Epiphany.