BY THE BOG OF CATS Comes to UofSC Lab Theatre Dec. 1-4

The University of SC Department of Theatre and Dance will present the haunting drama By the Bog of Cats, by leading Irish playwright Marina Carr, December 1-4 at the Lab Theatre.

Set in the ghostly landscape of the bogs of Ireland, By the Bog of Cats traces the desperate journey of Hester Swane, as she fights for respect in the face of a lover's abandonment and a society that derides her lineage. Playwright Marina Carr's powerful adaptation of Euripides' Medea mixes mysticism and hard-hitting modern realism to weave a riveting tale of betrayal, sacrifice, and vengeance. "...an emotionally rich portrait of a woman who isn't easy to love - or to forget." - Chicago Tribune

Senior theatre major Conor Gallagher is directing the production, which he describes as a "dark fairytale."

"The show is a spectacularly told story," says Gallagher, "with characters and themes that pull the audience into a world of magic, treachery, and death."

Gallagher says he discovered the script while studying abroad last year in Dublin, Ireland when a professor assigned him several Carr plays to study. "I read and re-read the play because as magic as it is, it has a lot of messages that truly apply in the modern-day involving persecuting someone for being who and what they are."

In Carr's story, Hester is disparaged because of her heritage as a "Traveller," a nomadic ethnic group that has existed on the margins of Irish society for centuries. Throughout the play, the constant prejudice she endures becomes increasingly entwined with her personal struggles, leading her down a dark and vengeful path.

"Throughout the course of the show, people cast insults on her for something she can't control," says Gallagher. "The general message that I think will resonate with audiences is, 'How long do you treat someone like a monster before they actually become one?'"

Cast in the production are Michael Aveni, Rachael Bates, Sean Calteaux, Caroline Clarke, Ezri Fender, Avery Kral, Alex Long, Jordan Postal, and Noelle Tsintzos.

Shows are at 8pm nightly. Tickets for the production are $10, and available online at theatre.sc.edu or at the door. The Lab Theatre is located at 1400 Wheat St., on the first floor of the Booker T. Washington building. By the Bog of Cats contains adult content and situations that may not be suitable for children.

For more information about By the Bog of Cats or the theatre program at the University of SC, contact Kevin Bush via email at bushk@mailbox.sc.edu or by phone at 803-777-9353.

Photo by Elizabeth Jennings

Pictured: Ezri Fender