Myra’s Story at Lowry
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
Myra’s Story, a critically acclaimed solo play by award-winning Derry playwright Brian Foster, arrives at Lowry this May following hit runs in Dublin, Edinburgh and London’s West End. Tackling the urgent and often overlooked issues of homelessness and addiction, this “outstanding play” (Broadway Baby) offers a powerful portrait of one woman living on the streets of Dublin – combining humour, heartbreak and humanity in equal measure.
Inspired by a fleeting encounter the playwright had with a woman on the city’s Ha’penny Bridge, the play gives voice to the often invisible – and all-too-real – lives of those living on society’s margins. Myra’s Story is a raw, funny and deeply moving monologue that captures one woman’s life in all its grit and grace.
At the heart of the show is a tour-de-force performance by Fiona Hewitt-Twamley, who plays middle-aged homeless alcoholic Myra McLaughlin with warmth, wit and devastating honesty. Over 90 unflinching minutes, she shifts seamlessly through memories and emotions, and 15 larger-than-life Dublin characters, to vividly present the world Myra inhabits. Expect joyful highs and crushing lows as she depicts Myra’s life shaped by poverty, addiction, loss and resilience.
Perhaps, what sets Myra’s Story apart is its powerful blend of art and activism. This is a play that doesn’t just tug at the heartstrings – it compels audiences to face the realities of homelessness head-on. And, although fictional, Myra’s journey is woven together from many true stories, making her struggle as authentic as it is affecting.
For fans of powerful storytelling and socially engaged theatre, Myra’s Story is a must-see – a compelling performance shining a light on the human cost of homelessness and addiction.
