The Shows

Past, present and future shows from Absolutely.

 

Your Only Man

  • First broadcast August 2008
  • Radio 3
  • 1 x 90 mins
  • production credits
  • Clip 1

     
  • Clip 2

     

    • Radio 3, Sunday 31st August at 9.45pm

    Absolutely Productions has attracted a stellar cast to record a 90min Radio Play about cult Irish author and journalist Flann O’Brien which will be broadcast on Sunday August 31st at 9.45pm on BBC Radio 3. This week's "Radio Times" carries an in depth feature about the play...

    Dara O’Briain, Ardal O’Hanlon and Dermot Crowley all play different facets of the Irish cult hero and Pauline Mclynn plays his wife Evelyn.

    Writer Annie Caulfield has set the play on the day that Brian O’Nolan, (Flann O’Brien’s real name) is sacked from his job at Dublin City Council. O’Nolan (Ardal O’Hanlon) spends the rest of the day remonstrating with his alter egos- Flann O’Brien (Dermot Crowley) and his satirical, firey journalist nom de plume Miles na Gopaleen (Dara O’Briain)- as to the cause of his loss of employment, whilst delaying the inevitable and unenviable task of informing his wife Evelyn (Pauline Mclynn).

     

    “ John Sparkes brought The Third Policeman by Flann O’Brien in one day when we were recording Absolutely. It was love at first page, so when Annie and Marilyn Imrie (Producer and Director) approached Absolutely Productions with ‘Your Only Man’ I jumped at the chance to make it. Flann O’Brien has a huge following throughout the world but he is most affectionately and passionately followed in Ireland. His name plus Annie’s brilliant idea and script were the perfect calling cards to assemble this fantastic cast who, in conjunction with Annie and Marilyn, have delivered a tremendous play”
    (Executive Producer, Gordon Kennedy)

     

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    Writer Annie Caulfield’s background to the play

    I was writing a book about a journey through Northern Ireland. In the small border town my mother comes from, Strabane, I noticed a plaque on the wall of a house – Brian O’Nolan/Flann O’Brien had been born there. I’d always thought of him as the archetypal Dubliner. Strabane had been wrecked ten times over in the Troubles; I liked it they had this secret claim to fame.

    I started rereading Flann O’Brien and reading about him, thinking I knew how the story went – but this wasn’t the typical story, the Hemmingway, Fitzgerald, Behan story of a writer who has success and destroys themselves drinking. Brian O’Nolan held down a job, took on the task of looking after his orphaned brothers and sisters, wrote political and humorous newspaper columns and survived the most appalling bad luck. The alcohol seemed to take the edge off for him as he got up every day and took on the world. I liked him because I think that’s what human courage really is – not doing one big thing like climbing Everest – it’s facing daily cruelty, tedium and injustice with determination. I liked this man who just wouldn’t get knocked down and stay down.

    Criticised for being parochial compared to the Paris dwelling likes of Joyce and Becket, Flann O’Brien was actually ahead of his time in many ways. The absurdism and magic in the Flann O’Brien novels is cosmopolitan and modern The strange anarchic humour could be written in to Monty Python, Black Books, Father Ted or The League of gentlemen. Flann O’Brien is funny about Ireland, loyal to Ireland - but he’s also very European, avant garde and imagined himself far beyond his restricted personal life.

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    Credits


    Brian O'Nolan: Ardal O'Hanlon
    Flann O'Brien: Dermot Crowley
    Myles na Gopaleen: Dara O'Briain
    Evelyn O'Nolan: Pauline Mclynn
    Garvin, Tommy, Guard, Agent Niall Sean, Eddia and Brian O'Nolan's Brother: Lloyd Hutchinson
    Secretary: Pauline Mclynn

    Producer: Marilyn Imrie
    Director: Marilyn Imrie
    Writer: Annie Caulfield
    Production Manager: Sarah Tombling
    Studio Engineer: Gerry O'Riordan
    Studio Manager: Jessica Bowles
    Executive Producer: Gordon Kennedy
    Executive Producer for BBC Radio 3: Matthew Dodd

    The play was recorded at The Soundhouse Recording Studios, Shepherds Bush, London on 30th and 31st July 2008

     

    The Producers would like to thank A M Heath and Co and The Estate of Flan O'Brien for their help and co-operation with this production and their kind permission the record extracts from 'The Third Policeman' by Flann O'Brien

 

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