Edinburgh FestivalInterviews

Interview: We are not staying silent!

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Director Sally Hennessy talks about staging secrets and their suppression.

There seems to be relentless revelations about abuse in public institutions these days, from the church to care homes, to hospitals and schools. This summer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Sally Hennessy directs A Silent Scandal, which focusses on this issue through the lens of a single mother in Ireland. We were delighted to have the opportunity to chat with her about the show and find out more. 


Hi Sally. Firstly, can you tell us a bit about the storyline? 

Hello! I can indeed. Written by Meade Conway, the story is about a headmaster and two teachers working in a school in Ireland a number of years ago. It follows the relationships between the characters, revealing the presence of a hidden secret. The female protagonist, Turley, a teacher and single mother, is both inquisitive and cautious as she seeks to uncover the truth. Balancing her curiosity with a desire to protect her own interests and care for her son, she treads carefully to avoid causing disruption. It looks at the silencing of women and abuses of power in institutions. 

What about this script appealed to you and made you want to direct it? 

When I was sent the script initially it was just one act, a short 20 minute piece. I thought it was well written and I was interested in the themes it explored. I thought there was a lot I could work with, especially in the female character, Turley. I feel it is extremely important for me to ensure I approach everything I make with a feminist lens and so I thought it was a good opportunity to do so. The play is very ambiguous and there is a lot unsaid, which I really like. After spending a few years living outside of Ireland, I have gained valuable insights into my life experiences and the governance of the country. While many of these reflections are positive, Ireland harbours its share of secrets, many of which have thankfully come to light in the last couple of decades. That being said, pervasive Catholic influence significantly shaped our upbringing and influenced our perceptions of what is considered acceptable or overlooked. I feel this play is an accurate depiction of many stories in Irish history. 

Tell us about the characters and about what your actors bring to the production. 

All three characters have strong and contrasting characteristics that each actor excels at portraying with depth and authenticity. I won’t call them ‘my’ actors as they all belong to themselves, but the actors working on this are all very amazing. It’s such a delight to talk about them.

Eoghan, who plays Brennan, is my cousin, so I have known him my whole life. He is a wickedly funny person, and extremely passionate and hardworking. He raises the bar for everyone when it comes to energy and dedication, and brings his whole self to the character of Brennan, which is difficult because he is not a very pleasant character to play, but Eoghan is a pro. It’s always a privilege to have him creating with me, and he always has everyone on the floor laughing which really is the key to getting through the longer and more intense days.

I met Ben, who plays O’Toole, in Mascarabar in Stoke Newington one random night just after Meade had added a new character to the script (It was originally just Turley and Brennan). I instantly liked him and when he said he wanted to get into acting in plays I asked him to do a table read for the character of O’Toole. Ben is extremely likeable and one of the most genuine people you will ever meet, which is an important characteristic of O’Toole. I hope he doesn’t rush back to film and TV after this because the stage definitely loves him, as do we all!

Senna who plays Turley is wonderful. They hate to be patronised but I must comment on how they just turned 20 the other day and are still the strongest character in the room by a mile every time we rehearse. They bring this strength to Turley’s character which is vital for carrying this show. They also know not only all of their lines but everyone else’s too. Before I cast Senna I had only ever seen them sing, but I could see that they were a star performer and absolutely up for the role. They are immensely talented in so many ways and definitely one to watch. 

The story is set in Ireland in the 1970s, so how is it relevant to a wider, modern audience? 

It is not actually specified when the story is set, and that is important. The play is showing something that happened in the past, but really it should be looked at as a case study for what is happening all the time still. Unfortunately, institutional abuse and misogyny are not only present in Ireland, nor were they only present in the past. Stories come out all the time about these kinds of abuses. I don’t like to dwell on the past but I think it is very important to remember and to learn. Although Irish people will resonate with this the most, I still think anyone who comes to see it will take something from it. 

The Ivy Studio at Greenside is a pretty intimate space. How do you feel this will work with the show?

I think the intimate space will work very well. In fact, it’s ideal. I like the hush hush vibe an intimate spot brings, especially to a play about secrets. It just makes sense thematically! Our show is also very minimal in terms of design, so again intimate space works perfectly. 

What do you hope your audiences will come away with? 

Primarily I hope audiences are entertained and engaged. It’s an intense play, but there are some funny bits in there too! And we certainly had a lot of fun making it together. I also hope that they take the time to reflect on their lifestyles, questioning the aspects they may overlook and the inherited biases and judgments influenced by societal and cultural norms and histories. Stories like these should not be forgotten; rather, they should be remembered and used as valuable learning experiences. 

Do you have plans for A Silent Scandal after Edinburgh? 

We will be putting it on in the Smock Alley theatre in Dublin, September 2nd-4th. We are very excited to bring this to our home country. If you happen to be in Dublin then, come through! We’d love to see you there 🙂 


Thanks very much to Sally for chatting with us about this fascinating show.

A Silent Scandal plays at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, at the Ivy Studio at Greenside on George Street, 12 – 17 August. Find out more and book here.

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