Plays

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The Moon in the Yellow River

A Play in Three Acts, by E.W. Tocher

OVERVIEW

  • Playwright

    Denis Johnston 

  • Author Notes

    Credited as E.W. Tocher
  • Setting

    The action of the play takes place in an old Fort, now used as a dwelling-house, near the mouth of a river in Ireland.

  • Synopsis

    The play is set in 1927 during an attempt by the IRA to destroy a Free State government power plant. The attack fails; nevertheless the plant is then blown up by accident. Along the way the play deals with nation-building, terrorism, war crimes, the rape of the environment, industrialism and globalization, while at the same time it is a deeply personal story of loss, denial and reconciliation. The title is from Ezra Pound, about a poet grasping at illusory ideals. As the play closes the action turns back from the political to the personal, as the central character discovers a resolution to his nihilism, and the idea that in man’s unhappiness could lie his greatness.

  • Play Type

    Plays General

    Number Of Acts

    Full-Length

  • Cast Size Male

    7

  • Cast Size Female

    3

Original Production

Original Cast  
Willie Udolphus Wright
Capt. Potts Michael J. Dolan
Aunt Columba Eileen Crowe
Tausch Fred Johnson
Agnes Maureen Delaney
Dobelle F J McCormick
Darrell Blake Denis O'Dea
George Arthur Shields
Blanaid Shelah Richards
Commandant Lanagan P.J. Carolan
Production Team  
Musical Director Dr. J.F. Larchet
Produced by Lennox Robinson
Assistant Producer Arthur Shields

Published Scripts

Rights Information

  • Territory

    All Territories

  • Rights Type

    All Rights

  • Contact

    Micheal Johnston

  • Address

    Shandon
    20 Burdett Avenue, Sandycove
    Co. Dublin
    Republic of Ireland

Source Of Information

The information for this entry was taken from the original production programme and from press cuttings of the time.